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SMALL APPLIANCES CONTAINING OZONE-DEPLETING REFRIGERANT |
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Ozone depleting chemicals (e.g., CFC, HCFC) are found in a wide variety of equipment including air conditioning, refrigeration, and other devices. This class of chemicals has been demonstrated to be harmful to the ozone layer and is subject to a production phaseout. As a result of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a national recycling program for these ozone depleting chemicals recovered during the servicing and disposal of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. This fact sheet outlines practices for the management of existing stocks of ozone depleting chemicals at SEFSC facility's, including maintenance, recycling and disposal practices. This fact sheet applies only to refrigeration appliances which:
This fact sheet does not apply to large appliances containing more than 5 pounds of refrigerant, or to motor vehicle air conditioners.
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Definitions
Appliances include machinery such as air conditioners, chillers, refrigerators, freezers and other devices that contain or use Class I (e.g., CFCs, HBFCs) or Class II (e.g., HCFCs) substances. High pressure appliances include appliances that use a refrigerant with a boiling point between -50 and 10 degrees Celsius at atmospheric pressure. This definition includes, but is not limited to, appliances using refrigerants R-12, -22, -114, -500, and -502. Opening of appliances includes any service, maintenance or repair which could reasonably be expected to release refrigerant from the appliance. Small appliance refers to the following types of equipment that are fully manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory with five pounds or less of refrigerant: refrigerators and freezers designed for home use, room air conditioners (including window air conditioners and packaged terminal air conditioners), packaged terminal heat pumps, dehumidifiers, under-the-counter ice makers, vending machines, and drinking water coolers. Very high pressure appliances include appliances that use a refrigerant with a boiling point below 50 degrees Celsius at atmospheric pressure. This definition includes, but is not limited to, appliances using refrigerants R-13 and -503.
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Recycling and Recovery Processes Appliances may be opened for maintenance, service or repair only if the following are observed:
Any small appliances purchased by must be equipped with a process stub to facilitate the removal of refrigerant for servicing and disposal. Technicians opening small appliances for maintenance, service, or repair must:
Ozone depleting chemical refrigerant may be returned to the same equipment from which it was recovered, or transferred to another piece of equipment owned by the same person, without being recycled or reclaimed. If you send used refrigerant offsite to be reclaimed, the reclaimer must certify to EPA that certain standards are being met for purity of reclaimed refrigerant, allowable release rates during the reclamation process, waste disposal and other issues. Verify that your reclaimers meet these requirements by asking them to provide you with a copy of the certification that they have sent to EPA. In addition, please be aware that EPA maintains a current list of approved reclaimers. You can confirm the approval status of reclaimers by contacting EPA's Ozone Protection Hotline (800-296-1996). Recycling and Recovery Equipment Requirements Persons maintaining, servicing, or repairing appliances must certify to the EPA on an EPA Refrigerant Recovery or Recycling Device Acquisition Certification Form that they have acquired certified recycling and/or recovery equipment, and are complying with EPA regulations. (This can be you or your vendor). Recycle/recovery equipment used to evacuate refrigerant from small appliances before they are disposed must be capable of:
If you intend to purchase new recycling/recovery equipment, lists of equipment whose design and operation has been tested and certified in accordance with EPA requirements can be obtained by contacting EPA's Ozone Protection Hotline (800-296-1996), the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (703-524-8800), or Underwriters Laboratories (847-272-8800 x42731). You must use recycling/recovery equipment that has been EPA-certified. Technician Certification Requirements Appliances may only be opened for maintenance, service, or repair if done so by a certified technician. Technicians who maintain, service, or repair small appliances must be certified as Type I or Universal technicians. Four categories of service technicians have been established, with technicians permitted to work only with the equipment types for which they have been certified. In order to be certified, technicians are required to pass an EPA-approved test given by an EPA-approved certification course.
Release Reporting Requirements The intentional or unintentional release of ozone depleting chemical refrigerants to the atmosphere is prohibited and is subject to immediate release reporting requirements under state and Federal law. This prohibition applies during maintenance, repair, service, disposal or other activities. If you have a release of an ozone depleting refrigerant, immediately notify the SEFSC ES&H Officer. Please note that intentional or knowing venting of ozone depleting chemical substitutes into the atmosphere from refrigeration appliances is also prohibited. De minimis amounts of refrigerants released during good faith attempts to recover, recycle, or safely dispose of refrigerants during servicing, maintenance, repair, and disposal activities conducted in compliance with Federal laws and regulations are not subject to release reporting.
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Disposal Requirements Refrigerant must be evacuated prior to appliance disposal. For appliances that typically enter the waste stream with its refrigerant charge intact (such as household refrigerators and freezers, and room air conditioners), the final person in the disposal chain is responsible for ensuring that the refrigerant has been removed before final disposal occurs. The refrigerant can be removed prior to the final step in the disposal chain, but documentation of the removal must be provided. Minimum evacuation levels must be attained prior to disposal of the appliance. Verify that the applicable level of evacuation has been reached in the appliance before it is opened. Technicians opening small appliances for refrigerant recovery prior to appliance disposal must:
Maintenance / Service Vendor Suggestions
Note that distributors can only sell ozone depleting chemical refrigerant to a person who is a certified technician. Reporting and Recordkeeping Persons disposing of small appliances must keep copies of signed statements verifying that refrigerant was evacuated from the appliance. If the appliance is evacuated prior to delivery to the ultimate disposer (e.g., landfill owner or scrap recycler), the owner (e.g. SEFSC) supplying the appliance to the disposer must provide documentation to the disposer verifying that the appliance was previously evacuated. This verification must include:
The disposer will maintain this documentation on file. If the appliance is evacuated at the disposal site (e.g., landfill or scrap recycle facility) by the disposer, the disposer must keep documentation that the required evacuation has been performed. It is recommended that, when disposing of appliances, records be kept documenting evacuation of refrigerant, regardless of whether such evacuation is performed at SEFSC or by the final disposer. It is recommended that service records (date and type of service, quantity of refrigerant purchased and added) and reclamation records (refrigerant quantity sent offsite for reclamation and the name and address of reclaimer) be kept, although not required for small appliances. Obtain from your service vendor:A copy of the EPA Refrigerant Recovery or Recycling Device Acquisition Certification Form filed for their recovery/recycling equipment; a copy of recycling or recovery equipment design certification [equipment must be tested and certified by the Air Conditioning or recovery equipment and that you are complying with EPA regulations. If you are using recycling or recovery equipment manufactured before 11/15/93, maintain records to ensure that it is capable of meeting minimum evacuation levels. If you send your refrigerant offsite for reclamation, note that reclaimers are required to certify to the EPA that they meet certain standards for refrigerant purity, leakage, waste disposal, etc. Obtain a copy of the certification statement that your refrigerant reclaimer sent to the EPA. Maintain all records for a minimum of three years. Key Points to Remember
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