Old models of refrigerators and air-conditioning units have a complex type of gas in their cooling tubes called Refrigerant 22 or R-22. It contains chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs that are harmful to the environment because it depletes the ozone layer.
CFC is an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine, and is produced as a volatile derivative of methane and ethane. A common subclass are hydro-chlorofluorocarbons or HCFCs, which contain hydrogen as well.
They are also commonly known as Freon.
People know what happens to the climate when portions of the ozone layer are depleted. Many believe that we are now experiencing its adverse effects.
Alex Guzon, assistant manager of Taro Sue, said people should be mindful of the types of appliances they use at home. He said a 22 cubic-feet old model or R-22 refrigerator can emit an amount of CFCs enough to punch a hole in the ozone layer
He does not have to estimate the total amount of CFCs that households on Saipan toss to the atmosphere. Who doesn’t have refrigerators nowadays? No matter what we do, if we have a ref and air-con that emit CFCs, we contribute big time to climate change, he added.
R-22, Guzon said, is the biggest contributor to the depletion of the ozone layer.
Guzon said there are three kinds of refrigeration and air-conditioning units — commercial, light commercial and residential.
They emit different levels of CFCs.
Residential cooling equipment is what worries Guzon the most.
Commercial and light commercial units have bigger amounts of ozone-depleting gases, but these air-cons are not everywhere. They are also strictly maintained.
For residential air-cons, this is not always the case.
Some people have been using their refs and air-cons for years and years, and these pose danger to the ozone layer.
The good news, Guzon said, is that the cooling industry will soon phase out its R-22 equipment.
To help prevent the further depletion of the ozone layer, manufacturers have begun to produce refrigerators and air-conditioning systems that use environment-friendly refrigerants such as R-410-A.
This CFC-free refrigerant is now used by manufacturers of new refrigerator and air-conditioning equipment. They are now on the market.
Taro Sue, Guzon said, offers a brand of R-410-A air-con unit —the Enviro-Aire. A split-type unit, Enviro-Aire gives people the opportunity to help prevent the depletion of the ozone layer. Taro Sue also offers air-cons for motor vehicles.
“People nowadays should be mindful of the kinds of gases we emit. Every little thing counts. If we all start to do something now we can prevent more harmful effects to the environment,” Guzon said.
