Retailers fined over $1.1m for selling R134a
20th March 2026
USA: Amazon and Walmart have received penalties totalling over $1.1m in the USA for illegally selling R134a to the general public in Washington state.
The two major retailers had continued to sell R134a motor vehicle air conditioning recharge cans, despite the Washington state legislature passing a series of laws in 2019 and 2021 banning their use.
Consumers must now find an EPA-certified mechanic to fix their car’s air conditioning system if it starts leaking.
The Washington Department of Ecology began notifying businesses about the new laws in November 2021, and most businesses stopped selling restricted products to Washington customers. However, despite “repeated warnings and extensive efforts” over the course of several years to help companies comply, Amazon and Walmart are said to have continued sales.
As a result, Amazon now faces a penalty of $800,068, and Walmart must pay $383,388. The companies have 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal to Washington’s Pollution Control Hearings Board.
“Industry is already shifting towards more climate-friendly refrigerants, and we need to make sure that there is a level playing field as we go through this transition,” said Joel Creswell, manager for Ecology’s Climate Pollution Reduction programme.
Despite supposedly strict F-gas regulations restricting commercial refrigerant sales, the sale of cans of R134a for car air conditioning for DIY use are still permitted in the UK and parts of Europe.
