First prosecution in the US for trafficking greenhouse gases
By 
Rebecca Trager2024-03-08T09:30:00
San Diego resident faces up to 45 years in prison for allegedly smuggling HFCs illegally from Mexico into the US
A California man has been arrested and charged with smuggling greenhouse gases into the US from Mexico and selling them. This is the first time that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has prosecuted anybody for illegally importing greenhouse gases.
Michael Hart, a San Diego resident, was charged with violating US government regulations aimed at curbing the use of greenhouse gases and mitigating climate change, the DOJ announced on 4 March. It is illegal to import hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are commonly used as refrigerants, without special allowances issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).