Mexican Media Brands
EC Sues Germany Over Daimler’s Use of Banned A/C Refrigerant
The European Commission says Germany violated European Union law by failing to order Daimler AG to stop using an air-conditioning system refrigerant that has been banned by the EU since the beginning of 2013.
#labor #regulations
Share
The European Commission says Germany violated European Union law by failing to order Daimler AG to stop using an air-conditioning system refrigerant that has been banned by the EU since the beginning of 2013.
The EC has presented the charges to the EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg.
Daimler agreed only in October to abandon R-134a refrigerant and switch to the EU’s mandated R-1234yf fluid. The global warming potential ratings for the two chemicals are 1,430 and 4, respectively.
Daimler declared the new refrigerant a safety hazard after conducting internal lab tests. Multiple independent evaluations declared the material safe and condemned Daimler’s test as “unrealistic” and “artificial.” But the carmaker said it would continue to use R-134A until it could develop a carbon dioxide-based system. Daimler apparently has abandoned that plan.
The EU has been threatening for two years to sanction Germany for failing to uphold the new refrigerant standard. In August 2013 France briefly banned the sale of Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz cars that used the older chemical.
RELATED CONTENT
-
GM Offers Buyouts to 18,000 Salaried Workers
General Motors Co. is launching a new round of buyouts for about 18,000 of its 50,000 white-collar employees in North America.
-
Young Auto Engineers Say Their Employers Don’t Measure Up
Only one-third of U.S. automotive engineers below the age of 36 agree that their work experience matches the way their employers’ portray themselves publicly, according to new research.
-
Denmark, 10 Other EU Members Urge Piston Ban
Denmark and 10 other member nations of the European Union have urged the region to allow them to end gasoline and diesel engine sales by 2030.