A former company owner in Spain has been sentenced to six months in prison after offering the HCFC refrigerant R22 for sale on the internet.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that the individual was sentenced in January at the Madrid Provincial Court. In addition to the prison sentence, he was also fined and prohibited from involvement in any commercial activity related to refrigeration or air conditioning for six years.
After closure of his enterprise in 2012, the person decided to sell the remaining equipment and materials and offered a 60kg R22 refrigerant cylinder on the internet. He was said to be aware that selling HCFC refrigerant in Europe is illegal.
The advertisement was spotted by the Guardia Civil’s SEPRONA Unit in January 2013, and offered to buy the R22 refrigerant under a fictitious name. The refrigerant cylinder was subsequently seized and ordered to be destroyed by the judge.
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