Make sure your car aircon is ozone-friendly

MANILA, Philippines -  Starting   Jan. 1, 2012, vehicles with air conditioning systems using chlorofluorocarbon 12 (CFC 12) or Freon R12, an ozone-depleting substance, will no longer be allowed to be registered.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have implemented a mandatory inspection of car aircon systems as a requirement for registration.

How can car owners know if their car aircon is CFC-free? 

The part of the vehicle’s last LTO registration official receipt (OR) that says “AR” indicates the kind of aircon refrigerant used. If the refrigerant is CFC-12 or R-12, this means it contains CFC.

Mobile air conditioners should have CFC-free systems such as HFC-134a or R-134a. A sample registration receipt can be viewed on the EMB website at http://www.emb.gov.ph/philozone/pdf_files/NCPP%20Receipt.pdf.

To avoid registration problems and penalties, vehicle owners must immediately have their CFC-containing mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems converted to ozone-friendly systems by DTI accredited service shops, which ensure proper servicing and conversion.

For more information, contact the National CFC Phaseout Plan-Project Management Unit (NCPP-PMU) of the DENR at 928-4589 and 426-4338 or the LTO at 921-9069 and 921-9071.