Philippines customs seize R12 shipment

PHILIPPINES: Customs officers in the Philippines port of Cebu are reported to have seized a shipment from China of the banned CFC refrigerant R12.

According to the Philippines Freeman website, the consignment of ozone-depleting R12 was seized along with a quantity of the regulated refrigerant R143a for which there was no import licence.

Nearly 1,500kg of refrigerant in total was seized, valued at around €8,000.

R143a, with its huge GWP of 4,470, is a component of the high GWP blends R404A and R507 as well as a number of “drop-in” alternatives.