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

The refrigerants were illegally brought into the United States from Mexico and sold on OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, and other websites.

An air conditioner in the window of a Brooklyn home on Aug. 20, 2015, in New York City. A phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons, which are used for refrigeration, air-conditioning, and more, is part of the nation's climate policy. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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.