Amazon and Walmart penalized for illegally selling climate-polluting products

The Washington Department of Ecology issued penalties totaling over $1.1 million to Amazon Inc. and Walmart Inc. for illegally selling climate-polluting cooling and refrigeration products. These penalties come after repeated warnings and extensive efforts over the course of several years to help the companies comply with the law.

In 2019 and 2021, the Washington Legislature passed a series of laws designed to phase out the use of refrigerant and cooling products containing hydrofluorocarbons. Hydrofluorocarbons are powerful greenhouse gases that trap hundreds to thousands of times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

Ecology began notifying businesses about the new laws in November 2021, and most businesses stopped selling restricted products to Washington customers. However, Amazon and Walmart continued selling motor vehicle air conditioning recharge cans containing a prohibited refrigerant called R-134a.

Air conditioning recharge cans are used to refill leaky air conditioning systems in cars and trucks, rather than repairing the leak itself. Their use can allow R-134a to escape into the atmosphere, where it has a warming effect 1,430 times higher than carbon dioxide. A single 16-ounce can of R-134a has the same impact as driving about 1,500 miles. Drivers with cars that use R-134a refrigerants do not need to switch to a different refrigerant or get a new car. They just need to find an EPA-certified mechanic to fix their car's air conditioning system if it starts leaking.

"Climate change is jeopardizing the health, safety and prosperity of our communities, and because they're so powerful, phasing out hydrofluorocarbons is one of the most cost-effective actions we can take to address climate change," said Joel Creswell, manager for Ecology's Climate Pollution Reduction program. "Industry is already shifting towards more climate-friendly refrigerants, and we need to make sure that there is a level playing field as we go through this transition."

Amazon was penalized $800,068, and Walmart was penalized $383,388.

The companies have 30 days to pay the penalty or appeal to Washington's Pollution Control Hearings Board.