Santa Monica Moving to Phase Out Use of CFCs

The Santa Monica City Council this week directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance that would phase out the use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, over two years. The ordinance is expected to come up for a formal council vote next month.

City officials said the measure would affect 44 businesses, mostly auto repair shops, which use CFCs to recharge auto air-conditioning units, and appliance repair shops, which use CFCs to recharge refrigerators.

The ordinance would require auto shops to install CFC recycling equipment by Jan. 1, 1991. It would require appliance repair shops and home air-conditioning maintainance businesses to use recycling equipment by Jan. 1, 1992.

The measure also would prohibit the sale of Freon, an air-conditioning recharger that can be purchased at auto-parts shops, after Jan. 1, 1991. Fire extinguishers containing halon, another ozone-depleting chemical, could not be tested under the ordinance.