The Nation : Hawaii Enacts Ban to Save Ozone Layer

Hawaii became the first state in the nation to enact a law banning the release of ozone-destroying chemicals into the atmosphere from air conditioners. Hawaii Gov. John Waihee signed the landmark bill aimed at limiting release of chlorofluorocarbons, which deplete Earth’s protective ozone layer and contribute to global warming. The measure, which will go into effect in 1991, bans the deliberate release of CFCs into the air and prohibits the over-the-counter sale of refrigerants containing CFCs. It also raises the standards of repair facilities and prohibits service or disposal of air-conditioning units using CFCs--including automobile units--without the use of a refrigerant recovery and recycling system.