The EPA's Updated Refrigerant Management Requirements What Appliance Disposal and Recycling Facilities Need to Know .. ¦ f ' i tfj What are the Section 608 regulations? Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibits the knowing release of refrigerant during the maintenance, sen/ice, repair, or disposal of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. The EPA requires proper refrigerant management practices by appliance disposal facilities, owners and operators of refrigeration and air- conditioning systems, technicians, reclaimers, and others. What's changing in these regulations? In the fall of 2016, the EPA updated the existing requirements related to ozon depleting substances (ODS), such as CFCs and HCFCs, and extended them to substitutes such as HFCs.1 The updates include: More stringent requirements for repairing leaks in larger appliances; New recordkeeping for the disposal of appliances containing five to 50 pounds of refrigerant; New reporting requirement that kicks in when larger appliances leak 125% or more of their charge in a calendar year; Restricting the sale of HFC refrigerant to technicians certified under Sections 608 or 609 of the Clean Air Act; and Changes to improve readability and simplify compliance. How will the new requirements affect appliance disposal and recycling facilities? Starting January 1, 2018, appliance disposal and recycling facilities will need to comply with the revised provisions.2 Changes to the existing regulations are underlined. Appliance disposal and recycling facilities must: Before disposal of small appliances (e.g., refrigerators and window air conditioners), o Recover 80% or 90% of ODS or substitute refrigerant from the appliance using certified recovery and/or recycling equipment; or o Evacuate the appliance to 4 inches of mercury vacuum; or o Verify with a signed statement or contract that ODS or substitute refrigerant was previously recovered according to the safe disposal requirements. In addition to protecting the ozone layer, the EPA estimates that the updated requirements will decrease annual greenhouse gas emissions by 7.3 million MTCChe that's equivalent to taking 1.5 million cars off the road per year. 1 These regulations do not extend to substitutes that have been exempted from the venting prohibition, such as ammonia. 2 This fact sheet highlights select changes that may be of most interest to this community. Please see the regulations for the full changes/requirements. ------- Before disposal of motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) or MVAC-like appliances (e.g., contained in cars and trucks), o Evacuate ODS or substitute refrigerant from the appliance in accordance with 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart B; or o Reduce the system pressure to below 102 mm of mercury vacuum; or Verify with a signed statement or contract that ODS or substitute refrigerant was previously recovered according to the safe disposal requirements. Keep a copy of all the signed statements or contracts indicating ODS or substitute refrigerant was recovered properly from appliances. Records need to be maintained for three years. o Statements must include the name and address of the person who recovered the refrigerant and the date the refrigerant was recovered. o Signed contracts between disposal facilities and suppliers must state that the supplier will recover remaining refrigerant from the appliance prior to delivery or certify that the refrigerant had been previously properly recovered. o If all the refrigerant has leaked out of the appliance, the disposal facility must obtain a signed statement that all the refrigerant in the appliance had leaked out prior to delivery to the final processor and recovery is not possible. Additional Resources Update to the Refrigerant Management Requirements Final Rule: www.epa.gov/section608/revised-section-608-refrigerant-management-regulations The EPA's Section 608 Webpage: www.epa.gov/section608 The EPA Stratospheric Ozone Contact: spdcomment@epa.gov Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper with a minimum 0ffice of Air and epa43oVi6°067 50% post-consumer waste using vegetable-based inks. September 2016 ------- |