San Diego Man Becomes Nation’s First Convicted Smuggler of Greenhouse Gases

A San Diego man pleaded guilty in federal court on Sept. 24 to conspiring to illegally import greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Mexico. Michael Hart, 58, who originally pleaded not guilty, is the first person to be convicted of smuggling greenhouse gases into the United States. In October 2022, Hart entered the United States at the San Ysidro border crossing with 10 boxes labeled “Freon 404A” that came from China. He did not disclose the canisters to port officers. Freon 404A contains numerous prohibited HFCs, which are used for refrigeration, air-conditioning, building insulation, fire extinguishing systems, and aerosols. The illegal smuggling of HFCs has been on the rise due to an “international phase-down” of refrigerants that contribute to climate issues, the U.S. Justice Department said in a press release....