Safe AC removal

[HardDrive]

I am looking to take off my AC. The physical aspects of it are pretty straight forward, but what about the disposal of freon? I have no idea if the system is charged or not. The belt has been off since I got the car.

Any saftey concerns for me? I don't plan on drinking the stuff....

What would be the most environmentally responsible thing to do?

[beavis911]

The most environmentally resposible thing to do would be to take to a shop that has the equiptment to recover the refigerant that may be in there. They can either recyle it or dispose of it in the appropriate manner, venting to the atmosphere is a no no. As for the safety concerns it is under pressure, in a well ventalated area if the hose was to burst, the refrigerant would vent to the atmosphere

[chgrec]

I had mine evacuated at express lube for $35.00......

well worth it for saftey & the world......

Chris

[Rondinone]

It's unlikely that there is any appreciable amount left in it. I would push the schrader valve with a screwdriver and see if there's pressure.

There are no real safety concerns with freon, provided you don't burn it or get in on your skin (freezing).

[Jim Sims]

"There are no real safety concerns with freon, provided you don't burn it or get in on your skin (freezing)."

Or in your eyes (blindness from freezing).

[eskimo]

The responsible thing would be to get it discharged at a shop.

Personally, I tapped the needle valve on the compressor with a punch (wearing gloves) to see what happend.. -nothing.. I taped the valve longer... NADA.. after some more fiddling, I figure the system was bone dry, sure enough it was..
I cut the rest of the lines out with a blade.

Mine's an 88.. depending on how your AC has been taken care of, I'm sure that an 82 is pretty bone dry too.

[ianc]

Same here. Pushed the valve slightly expecting to be flash frozen or to have to run for the hills, but nothing. Not even a weak hiss...

ianc

[HardDrive]

Thanks guys.

[kuehl]

Harddrive,

Jim has pointed an important feature of R12 refrigerant:
NEVER expose the gas to an open flame, or high heat. By product is PHOSGENE (instant body damage).
Here is atypical MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for generic R12:

Reactivity Data
================================================== =========================
Stability: YES
Cond To Avoid (Stability): AVOID OPEN FLAMES AND HIGH TEMPERATURES.
Materials To Avoid: INCOMPATIBLE WITH ALKALI OR ALKALINE EARTH METALS -
POWDERED AL, ZN, BE, ETC.
Hazardous Decomp Products: PHOSGENE (FP N). DECOMP PRODS ARE HAZ. FREON 12
CAN BE DECOMPOSED BY HIGH TEMPS (OPEN FLAMES, GLOWING METAL (SUPDAT)
Hazardous Poly Occur: NO
Conditions To Avoid (Poly): NOT RELEVANT
================================================== =========================
Health Hazard Data
================================================== =========================
LD50-LC50 Mixture: LD50: (ORAL, RAT) >1,000 MG/KG
Route Of Entry - Inhalation: YES
Route Of Entry - Skin: YES
Route Of Entry - Ingestion: NO
Health Haz Acute And Chronic: CHLOROFLUOROCARBON (CFC) MATLS HAVE PRDCED
SENSIT OF THE MYOCARDIUM TO EPINEPHRINE IN LAB ANIMALS & COULD HAVE A
SIMILAR EFFECT IN HUMANS. ADRENOMIMETICS (IE, EPINEPHRINE) MAY BE CONTRA-
INDICATED EXCEPT FOR LIFE-SUSTAINING USES IN HUMANS ACUTELY OR CHRONICALLY
EXPOSED TO CFCS (FP N). INHAL OF HIGH (EFTS OF OVEREXP)
Carcinogenicity - NTP: NO
Carcinogenicity - IARC: NO
Carcinogenicity - OSHA: NO
Explanation Carcinogenicity: NOT RELEVANT
Signs/Symptoms Of Overexp: HLTH HAZ: CONCS OF VAP IS HARMFUL & MAY CAUSE
HEART IRREGULARITIES, UNCON OR DEATH. INTENTIONAL MISUSE OR DELIB INHAL MAY
CAUSE DEATH W/OUT WARNING. VAP REDUCES OXYGEN AVAIL FOR BRTHG & IS HVR/AIR.
LIQ CONTACT CAN CAUSE FROSTBITE. MAY CAUSE EYE IRRIT. HUMAN HLTH EFTS OF
OVEREXP BY EYE CONTACT W/VAP MAY INCLUDE (SUPDAT)
Med Cond Aggravated By Exp: INDIVIDUALS WITH PREEXISTING DISEASES OF THE
CENTRAL NERVOUS OR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM MAY HAVE INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY
TO THE TOXICITY OF EXCESSIVE EXPOSURES.
Emergency/First Aid Proc: INGEST: CALL MD IMMED (FP N). INHAL: IF HIGH
CONCS ARE INHALED, IMMED REMOVE TO FRESH AIR. KEEP PERSON CALM. IF NOT
BRTHG, GIVE ARTF RRESP. IF BRTHG IS DFCLT, GIVE OXYGEN. CALL MD. SKIN: IN
CASE OF CONTACT, FLUSH SKIN W/WATER. TREAT FOR FROSTBITE IF NECESSARY BY
GENTLY WARMING AFFECTED AREA. EYES: IN CASE OF CONTACT, IMMED FLUSH EYES W/
PLENTY OF WATER FOR AT LEAST 15 MIN. CALL MD. (ING 10)
================================================== =========================
Precautions for Safe Handling and Use
================================================== =========================
Steps If Matl Released/Spill: NOTE:REVIEW FIRE FIGHT MEASURES & HNDLG
SECTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING W/CLEANUP. USE APPROP PERSONAL PROT EQUIP DURING
CLEANUP. VENT AREA, ESP LOW/ENCLSD PLACES WHERE HEAVY VAPS MIGHT COLLECT.
REMOVE OPEN FLAMES. USE NIOSH APPRVD SCBA FOR LARGE SPILLS.
Neutralizing Agent: NONE SPECIFIED BY MANUFACTURER.
Waste Disposal Method: COMPLY WITH FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS.
RECLAIM BY DISTILLATION OR REMOVE TO A PERMITTED WASTE FACILITY.
Precautions-Handling/Storing: USE W/SUFFICIENT VENTILATION TO KEEP
EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE BELOW RECOMMENDED LIMITS. STORE IN CLEAN, DRY AREA. DO
NOT HEAT ABOVE 52C (125F).
Other Precautions: NO SMOKING IN AREA OF USE. DO NOT USE IN THE GENERAL
VICINITY OF ARC WELDING, OPEN FLAMES OR HOT SURFACES. HEAT AND/OR UV
RADIATION MAY CAUSE THE FORMATION OF CHLORIDES, FLUORIDES OR PHOSGENE (FP
N).
================================================== =========================
Control Measures
================================================== =========================
Respiratory Protection: UNDER NORMAL MANUFACTURING CONDITIONS, NO
RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IS REQUIRED WHEN USING THIS PRODUCT. NIOSH APPROVED
SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS (SCBA) IS REQUIRED IF A LARGE RELEASE
OCCURS.
Ventilation: NORMAL VENT FOR STANDARD MANUFACTURING PROCS IS GENERALLY
ADEQUATE. LOCAL EXHAUST SHOULD BE USED WHEN LARGE (ING 12)
Protective Gloves: IMPERVIOUS GLOVES.
Eye Protection: ANSI APPRVD CHEM WORKERS GOGGLES (FP N).
Other Protective Equipment: ANSI APPROVED EYE WASH & DELUGE SHOWER (FP N).
Work Hygienic Practices: NONE SPECIFIED BY MANUFACTURER.
Suppl. Safety & Health Data: VP: 94.5 PSIA @ 25C. HAZ DECOMP PRODS: SURFS,
ETC) FORMING HYDROCHLORIC & HYDROFLUORIC ACIDS & POSSIBLY CARBONYL HALIDES.
EFTS OF OVEREXP: EYE IRRIT W/DISCOMFORT, TEARING OR BLURRING OF VISION.
SKIN CNTCT W/LIQ MAY CAUSE FROSTBITE. INHAL OF VAPS MAY CAUSE TEMPORARY
NERVOUS SYS DEPRESS W/ANESTH EFTS SUCH AS (ING 2)