Quote:
Originally Posted by HeWhoKillz
Actually I stopped before it leaked out too much lol. So there is still plenty inside. Whats the difference between me leaving them bolts undone and letting the vapors out and a shop doing it?
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The refrigerant in the lines never wears out or goes bad. This means an AC mechanic can evacuate (suck out) the refrigerant and recycle it so it can be used in another car.
If you simply let the gas escape, it will drift around in the atmosphere a LONG time. Often, some of this gas makes its way into Earth's upper atmosphere and starts to destroy the ozone (O3) layer, allowing more of the sun's ultraviolet radiation to make its way to the surface. This can negatively affect plant and animal life.
FWIW, the ozone layer is in a constant state of destruction and creation..... but the introduction of refrigerant upsets this equilibrium. R134A is less harmful than the R12, but it still has an effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_depletion