However, if a charged appliance is found at a .,
facility^hat accepts appliances only with verifica-
tion forms and does not inspect appliances, it is not
a safe disposal violation. But, in the future, the .
facility can only accept verification statements ,l}
from the same supplier who violated If it indepen-
dently verifies that refrigerant has been removed.
, i
Substitute Refrigerants , ,
EPA has developed a list of acceptable substitute
refrigerants. The Significant New Alternatives
Policy (SNAP) program only assesses the envi-
ronmental impact and human health concerns of
potential alternative refrigerants. It does not .
assess the effectiveness of substitution for CFCs
and HCFCs. The latest SNAP list is available
from EPA's Stratospheric Ozone Information
Hotline at (800) 296-1996.
Regulation Summary
• Knowingly venting refrigerants during service,
maintenance, repair, or disposal of air conditioning
or refrigeration equipment is prohibited.*-
« When opening air conditioning or refrigeration
equipment, it must be evacuated to specified levels.
« Recycling and recovery equipment manufactured
after November 15, 1993, must be tested by an
EPA-approved testing organization (ARI or UL).
* Technicians (except those removing'refrigerants
from small appliances and MVACs prior to final
disposal) performing services that could release
refrigerants must be certified.
* Only certified technicians may purchase
refrigerants. ,. '. .-,-,.•;
• Businesses servicing or disposing of air
conditioning or refrigeration equipment must
certify to EPA that they have recycling or recovery
equipment and are complying with requirements.
• Owners of air conditioning or refrigeration .
equipment with charges of greater than 50 pounds
must follow leak repair requirements. ,,
• Final processors in the disposal chain are -
responsible for ensuring, to the best of their
knowledge, that refrigerant is recovered from
equipment prior jo disposal.
References
Compliance Guidance for Industrial
Process Refrigera-tion Leak Repair ,
Regulations Under Section 608 of the
' Clean Air Act U.S. EPA. EPA 300-B-95-Q10.
October 1995
-q; .1.1 •'.,••:•••
United States EPA 305-F-98-020
Environmental Protection July 1998
Agency
Enlorcemenl Compliancu And Assurance (2224A)
IgP10
"^Stfjtf*
*
T*P^®
Memorandum - Section 60S of Clean A ir Act
as it Applies to Scrap Recyclers. Ann Baily.
November 16,1994.'. ••-,.-
Memorandum • Questions Concerning EPA
Interpretation of Disposal Regulations at 40
'•CFR Pan82, SubpartF. Ann Baily. May 3,
AEPA Responsible
Practices:
Servicing And
Disposing of
Refrigeration
Equipment
Memorandum • Clarification of May 3,1995
Memorandum. - v,
Ann Pontius. August 16,1996,
Additional publications and information
(including the Federal regulations, fact
sheets, applicability determinations, etc.) are
available from EPA's Stratospheric Ozone
Information Hotline at . •
(800) 296-1996.
Received
AUG 1*11998'
Enforcement £ Compliance Docket
& Information Center
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' i 'be video Responsible Practices: Servicing and
i Disposing of Refrigeration Equipment provides
-*• an overview of the regulations for the mainte-
nance, service, repair, and disposal of air conditioning
and refrigeration equipment. The video is not
intended as a sole source of compliance information.
Why are Regulations Needed?
The Earth's stratospheric ozone layer protects us
from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Chlorofluo-
rocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) contribute to the depletion of the
ozone layer which could cause increased cases of
skin cancers and cataracts and could damage food
crops. To help protect the ozone layer, EPA
established a National program for safely manag-
ing and disposing refrigerants and air condition-
ing and refrigeration equipment. This.program is
implemented under Section 608 of the Clean Air
Act, the implementing Federal regulations are
found at 40 CFR Part 82.
Who is Regulated?
The regulations apply to everyone that owns,
operates, maintains, services, repairs, or disposes
any air conditioning or refrigeration equipment
that uses CFCs, HCFCs, or their substitutes as
refrigerants. The regulations prohibit venting,
establish service practices, specify performance
requirements for recovery and recycling equip-
ment, establish certification requirements for
equipment and technicians, and establish safe
disposal practices. The regulations make it illegal
to knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmo-
sphere during the maintenance, service, repair, or
disposal of air conditioning or refrigeration
equipment. Limited exceptions are provided to
this prohibition. Anyone that performs service
activities that could reasonably release refriger-
ants to the atmosphere (e.g., adding or removing
refrigerants from an appliance) must be certified
by an EPA-approved program. Persons recover-
ing refrigerant from small appliances or Motor
Vehicle Air Conditioners (MVACs) prior to final
disposal do not have to be certified. There are
four types of certification, depending on the type
of equipment being worked on. Only,certified
technicians may purchase refrigerant.
What Kind of Equipment is Needed?
Recovery only or recovery/recycle equipment
must be able to evacuate refrigerants to speci-
fied standards. Limited exceptions are pro-
vided to these evacuation standards. Equip-
ment manufactured after November 15, 1993
must also be tested by an EPA-approved
organization (ARI or UL). Recovery equip-
ment used to remove refrigerant from small
appliances and MVACs prior to final disposal
does not have to be tested but does have to
meet the same performance standards. Busi-
nesses that service or dispose of air condition-
ing or refrigeration equipment must certify to
their Regional EPA office that they have
proper equipment and are complying with
EPA regulations.
What Do You Do With Recovered
Refrigerant?
Recovered or recycled refrigerant can be
returned to the same system being serviced or
to another system owned by the same person.
Otherwise, the refrigerant must be sent to an
EPA-approved reclaimer.
What if Equipment is Leaking?
Leaks in refrigeration systems with a refrigerant
charge of more than 50 pounds must be repaired
if refrigerant is leaking at or above specified
trigger rates.
How Do You Dispose of Refrigeration
and Air Conditioning Equipment?
Refrigeration and air condi-
tioning equipment that is
dismantled onsite'must have
the refrigerant removed prior
to disposal. Refrigerant
contained in equipment that is disposed of
with the charge intact (e.g., small appliances
and MVACs) may be removed at any point in
the disposal process. The person disposing of
an appliance, or delivering it for recycling,
must ensure that remaining refrigerant has
been recovered. The final processor of a
regulated appliance (scrap recycler, landfill
operator), must either recover remaining
refrigerant or take the steps required by the
regulations to verify that remaining refrigerant
was recovered. If the final processor does not
recover refrigerant, it must verify that the
refrigerant has been removed. This can be
done by requiring signed statements from
whom the appliance is obtained that all the
refrigerant was recovered according to EPA
regulations. These statements must include the
date refrigerant was removed and the name and
address of the person that recovered it. Alter-
natively, the final processor can establish
contracts with persons delivering appliances
specifying removal of refrigerant before final
disposal.
Not all final processors accept regulated
appliances. Some refuse to accept any equipment
that may have
contained CFCs; others may only accept such
items after they have been crushed, flattened, or
otherwise demolished and the safe disposal require-
ments no longer apply.
Some final processors may have internal
procedures in place, such as an inspection program,
to verify that refrigerant has been removed. The
final processor can be found in violation of safe
disposal regulations if a charged appliance is found
beyond the last reasonable inspection point.
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