Just some rambling comments. As to Bob's data on only 50% of paint use by licensed shops, I find it hard to believe that over 40% of the rest of the market is due to DIY types. Maybe DIY is 5% but maybe the rest is use by shops that do some painting but are not high volume body shops? Then there are moon-light painters who have a garage somewhere and paint on the side but they are body specialists during the day? If that is so the new regulations will effect them more than the DIY folks. Yes indeed SEMA needs to counter balance the EPA folks but as for the R12 situation it has to do with whether the chlorocarbon bond breaks off a -Cl easily to form the Cl-O molecule; that is what damages the ozone layer. So it is possible to still use other refrigerants based on whether they release Cl less easily into the atmosphere. The purpose of changing the refrigerant is to reduce the amount of Cl-O formed, so there are other compounds that can be used as refrigerants with less production of Cl-O. The paint restriction will not effect me since I am learning that there is no hope that I can do my own paint job so I am at the mercy of the local shops.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder