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This table lists levels of evacuation for various types of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment manufactured either before or after November 15, 1993.
EPA regulations (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F) under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act require technicians who service stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment to follow specific practices. These practices are meant to maximize recovery and recycling of refrigerants, which can be ozone-depleting substances (ODSA compound that contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. ODS include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, hydrobromofluorocarbons, chlorobromomethane, and methyl chloroform. ODS are generally very stable in the troposphere and only degrade under intense ultraviolet light in the stratosphere. When they break down, they release chlorine or bromine atoms, which then deplete ozone. A detailed list (http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/ods/index.html) of class I and class II substances with their ODPs, GWPs, and CAS numbers are available.) or potent greenhouse gases. Different practices apply to different equipment, depending on their size and manufacture. Evacuation RequirementsAppliances with More than Five Pounds of RefrigerantTechnicians must evacuate air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment to established vacuum levels when opening the equipment for maintenance, service, repair, or disposal. The required level of evacuation can be found in the following table. Except for equipment manufactured before November 15, 1993, the recovery or recycling equipment must have been certified by an EPA-approved equipment testing organization. To ensure that they are recovering the correct level of refrigerant, technicians must use the recovery equipment according to the directions of its manufacturer. Appliances with Five or Fewer Pounds of Refrigerant (Small Appliances)Technicians repairing small appliances, such as household refrigerators, window air conditioners, and water coolers, must recover:
To ensure that they are recovering the correct level of refrigerant, technicians must use the recovery equipment according to the directions of its manufacturer. Technicians may also satisfy recovery requirements by evacuating the small appliance to four inches of mercury vacuum. Exceptions to the Evacuation RequirementsEPA allows limited exceptions to the evacuation requirements for 1) repairs to leaking refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, and 2) repairs that are not major and that are not followed by an evacuation of the equipment to the environment. Repairs to Leaking EquipmentIf technicians cannot evacuate to the specified levels because of refrigerant leaks, or because it would substantially contaminate the refrigerant being recovered, they must:
Repairs that are Not Major and Are Not Followed by EvacuationIf a technician is not evacuating the equipment to the environment after a repair is completed, and if the repair is not major, then the following requirements must be met:
Reclamation RequirementRecovered refrigerant can be returned to the same system or other systems owned by the same person without restriction. However, if recovered refrigerant changes ownership, it must be reclaimedFor purposes of defining a material as a solid waste under RCRA Subtitle C, a material is reclaimed if it is processed to recover a usable product or regenerated by processing it in a way that restores it to usable condition. by an EPA-certified refrigerant reclaimer. Changing Refrigerant OilThe requirements described above cover refrigerant contained in oil. The oil in a refrigeration appliance can contain large amounts of dissolved refrigerant. EPA requires a reduction in the pressure prior to an oil change to ensure that the bulk of the refrigerant contained in the oil is recovered. It is a violation to change oil at higher than 5 psig. There are two acceptable procedures for recovering refrigerant contained in oil:
Information concerning the proper disposal of oil can be found on the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act website. |