He I agree with you. This EPA thing on freon is something else for this
country. Third world countries can still make it and sell it i n new
units but the good old usa can't. It was called the montreal protocol
Today you must recover the refrigerant and treat it as hazardous waste,
Then to be sent to a recycle who MUST clean it and certify that it meets
the standard of new OR BURN it. If they were to clean you R12 and it was
not contaminated by other refrigerant they would pay you about $2.00 LB.
if it was contaminated they get to charge YOU about $5.00 a LB.
So now you should have a recovery machine for all the types of gas. and
clean bottles . because if the recycle finds just a smidgen of mixed gas
you pay . Then the mechanic today is suppose to have a tag on every
bottle of refrigerant with the exact amount still in the can. and
records of where he used it, by the ounce. for the epa. Now this
requires an electronic scale to weigh the bottles about $125.00
There are many a way for the cost to come back and bite the mechanic or
company for disposal. Also company cannot pay the fine for a mechanic.
Bummer huh? Damm doctor can leave a hunk of metal in you and his
insurance pays . Go figure us little guys get stuck again