FORBIDDEN AIRCONDITIONERS SOLD IN HUNGARY

According to the informations of Magyar Nemzet there are still airconditioners sold in Hungary which have been blacklisted for a year. The equipments are filled with highly chlorinated and fluorinated hydrocarbons which dissolve the ozone layer. The airconditioners are sold usually below the normal price.

The government passed a law last year about the regulation of the use of materials damaging the ozone layer and forbade the use of certain equipments after September 30, 2003. The science lists these gases as HCFC group and equipments using such gases bear the mark R22. Such equipments should have left the market in Hungary by October last year but they are on sale for the time being as well.

The authorities in charge are unable to execute the law and the possible fines are not high enough to restrain the trade of illegal airconditioners. The Ministry of Environment Protection has sent a waning to all affected authorities about the need for more effective control but the commercial aspects of the problem have been omitted.

Translated by Péter Szentmihályi Szabó