By Ray Massey PUBLISHED: 13:15 EST, 15 February 2013 | UPDATED: 13:31 EST, 16 February 2013 New cars sold in Britain and Europe risk catching fire and exploding in a crash because of EU rules to impose a controversial 'green' air-conditioning coolant from the start of this year, German car giant Mercedes-Benz has warned. The luxury car-maker says the new 'climate-friendly' air-con chemical is 'highly flammable', poisonous and poses a danger both to occupants and rescue services – and German government officials now agree. Mercedes-Benz is refusing to put the controversial new gas refrigerant into its latest vehicles, sparking a major confrontation with Brussels and the firms who make it  - both of whom deny any safety risks.
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Mercedes say the 'climate-friendly' chemical is highly flammable
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Brussels and the coolant's producers deny the suggestion
It is the replacement for the long-time industry standard, which EU legislators in @placeholder have ordered to be phased out from January because of concerns about greenhouse gases.