Section 609 of the Clean Air Act:
Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning
Protecting the Ozone Layer
The stratospheric ozone layer shields the Earth from the sun's harmful
ultraviolet radiation. Emissions of certain substances - including
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) -
that are commonly used as refrigerants, solvents, and insulating foams destroy
the ozone layer.
In addition, many of these ozone-depleting substances (ODS), as well as their
alternatives - including hydrofluorocarbons (MFCs) - are potent greenhouse
gases that contribute to climate change. The purpose of this fact sheet is to
help understand the regulatory requirements for servicing motor vehicle air
conditioners (MVACs).
Environmental Impact of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners
Older model MVACs used CFC-12 (also known by trade names, such as
Freon®). When CFCs leak from MVACs into the atmosphere, strong radiation
in the atmosphere will break the molecules apart and release chlorine atoms,
each of which can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules.
MVACs can have serious impacts on climate. For example, the global warming
potential (GWP) of CFC-12 is approximately 10,000 times greater than that of
carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
Currently, most MVACs use HFC-134a (also known as R-134a), a refrigerant
that does not deplete the ozone layer, but has a GWP that is approximately
1,400 times greater than CO2.
Alternative refrigerants such as CO2
and hydrofluoroolefin (HFO)-1234yf
do not deplete the ozone layer
and have much lower GWPs than
CFC- 12 or HFC-134a. CO2 has a
GWP of 1 and HFO-1234yf has a
GWP of 4. MVACs alone represent
about 15% of the global use of MFCs.
Because of the potential damage that refrigerants can do to the environment,
Section 609 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) directs EPA to establish requirements
to prevent the release of refrigerants during the servicing of MVACs and
MVAC-like appliances and to require recycling of used refrigerants. MVAC-like
appliances are mechanical vapor compression, open-drive compressor
appliances used to cool the driver's or passenger's compartment of a non-road
vehicle, including agricultural and construction vehicles.
Environmental Impacts of MVAC Refrigerants
Global Warming Ozone Depletion
Potential Potential
CFC-12
HFC-134a
HFC-152a
HFO-1234yf
C02
10,900 1
1,430 0
124
0
4 0
1
0
608 vs. 609
MVAC (609)
Passenger cars
Buses*
Trucks
WiŁK
MVAC-like (609 or 608)
Off-road vehicles ll
Non-MVAC (608)
Trains
Aircraft - passenger & cargo
Refrigerated trailers
n
Ship/boat - passenger & cargo
lfR-22, then 608
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Venting Prohibition
Section 608 prohibits intentionally releasing (also called venting) ODS refrigerants and
most alternatives (including all MFCs, HFOs, and their blends) while maintaining, servicing,
repairing, or disposing of MVACs and MVAC-like equipment. CO2 refrigerants are exempted
from the venting prohibition.
Section 609 Regulatory Requirements: Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning
SALES RESTRICTION
Section 609 prohibits the sale
of small cans (less than
20 pounds) of CFC-12 to anyone
other than an EPA-certified
technician.
TECHNICIAN TRAINING
AND CERTIFICATION
Technicians repairing or servicing CFC-12,
HFC-134a, and C02, HFC-152a, or HFO-1234yf
MVACs must be trained and certified by an
EPA-approved organization. Certification is
obtained by passing an EPA-approved
examination.
RECORDKEEPING
M REQUIREMENTS
MVAC service shops must
maintain records of the
names and addresses of
facilities to which the
refrigerant they recover is
sent. Service shops are also
required to maintain records
(on-site) showing that all
service technicians are
properly certified and must
certify to EPA that they
own approved
equipment.
air
Section 609
Regulatory
Requirements
SAFE DISPOSE
REQUIREMENTS
When refrigeration and i
conditioning equipment ente
the waste stream, the fins
person in the disposal cha
must remove (or make
certain that their custome
have removed) refrigerant:
priorto appliance dispose
EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS
MVAC service shops must certify to EPA
at they have acquired and are properly using
approved refrigerant recovery equipment.
Service shops must also verify that each
person using the equipment has been
properly trained and certified.
APPROVED EQUIPMENT
Technicians repairing or servicing
MVACs using CFC-12, HFC-134a,
HFC-152a,C02,orHFO-1234yf
must use refrigerant
recovery equipment that
is approved by EPA.
'
EPA Ozone Layer Protection Website:
epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html
EPA Section 609 Website:
epa.gov/ozone/title6/609/
Additional Resources
EPA Phaseout of Ozone-Depleting Substances Website:
epa.gov/ozone/title6/phaseout/
Approved equipment information website:
epa.gov/ozone/title6/609/technicians/appequip.html
EPA Stratospheric Ozone Information Hotline: 1-800-296-1996
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA 430-F-13-004
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