I know someone who was hoarding banned freon and selling it on the side. The government eventually had caught on that people were doing it, but they also understood that punishing people even harder for selling it wouldn't work. So instead they started to provide incentives to convert refrigeration units to not use that kind of freon. It's been a few years so not sure how effective that was, but I thought it was interesting.
>An EPA certificate is required to purchase R12 Refrigerant "OR" a statement saying you are purchasing this for "Resale Only". The "Resale Only" statement can be in the form of an e-mail.
Yes, it's easy to buy, but as I mentioned in another comment here, the price compels everyone to be cautious in using it and not let it escape. You can even find plenty of DIY videos on YouTube of people building their own refrigerant recovery machines (basically a compressor and a tank), so I'd say everyone recognises the importance of not just venting it into the atmosphere.
The last time I heard, the EPA certificate is itself very easy to obtain too; the fee is around $20, and it's a short open-book multiple-choice exam. Not really a hindrance considering that a gauge set and vacuum pump, which is obligatory if you intend to do anything with refrigeration, costs far more.
