A San Diego man has been arrested on suspicion of smuggling potent greenhouse gases into the USA from Mexico, turning into the primary within the nation to be charged with smuggling the environmentally dangerous gases which can be generally used as refrigerants and illegally promoting them, in keeping with federal prosecutors.
Michael Hart, 58, is accused of hiding the hydrofluorocarbons, often known as HFCs, in his car to move them throughout the border from Mexico, in keeping with a information launch from the U.S. lawyer’s workplace for the Southern District of California. Hydrofluorocarbons are thought of a significant driver of world warming and have been focused in local weather laws and treaties worldwide. In 2020, the refrigerants grew to become unlawful to import within the U.S. with out allowances from the Environmental Safety Company.
Hart, who was arrested Monday, pleaded not responsible within the case, in keeping with prosecutors. It wasn’t instantly clear who was representing him within the case.
“That is the primary time the Division of Justice is prosecuting somebody for illegally importing greenhouse gases, and it’ll not be the final,” Tara McGrath, U.S. lawyer for the Southern District of California, stated in a press release. “We’re utilizing each means attainable to guard our planet from the hurt attributable to poisonous pollution, together with bringing legal expenses.”
The indictment towards Hart alleged he posted the refrigerants — which are sometimes utilized in refrigeration, air-conditioning and constructing insulation — on the market throughout on-line websites reminiscent of OfferUp and Fb Market, and offered them for a revenue. Along with greenhouse gases, the indictment alleges Hart imported HCFC-22, one other ozone-depleting substance extremely regulated by federal officers.
“The unlawful smuggling of hydrofluorocarbons, a extremely potent greenhouse gasoline, undermines worldwide efforts to fight local weather change below the Kigali Modification to the Montreal Protocol,” stated David M. Uhlmann, EPA assistant administrator for the Workplace of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Anybody who seeks to revenue from unlawful actions that worsen local weather change should be held accountable. This arrest highlights the importance of EPA’s local weather enforcement initiative and our efforts to forestall refrigerants which can be local weather tremendous pollution from illegally coming into the USA.”
The Kigali Modification sought to restrict the use and manufacturing of HFCs throughout the globe and discover cleaner alternate options for refrigerants. Practically 200 nations agreed to the deal in 2016, although the U.S. didn’t signal on till 2021, after President Biden took workplace.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
