EPA Refrigerant Recycling and Reclamation 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes refrigerant 'recycling' from refrigerant 'reclamation'?
- Recycling involves off-site reprocessing; reclamation is done on-site
- Recycling cleans refrigerant on-site for reuse in the same owner's equipment; reclamation reprocesses it off-site to AHRI 700 purity standards (Correct answer)
- Recycling and reclamation are the same process with different names
- Recycling requires EPA certification; reclamation does not
Correct answer: Recycling cleans refrigerant on-site for reuse in the same owner's equipment; reclamation reprocesses it off-site to AHRI 700 purity standards
Recycling refers to on-site cleaning of refrigerant for reuse in the same or same owner's equipment, while reclamation involves off-site reprocessing at a certified facility to meet AHRI 700 purity standards.
Question 2: Which purity standard must reclaimed refrigerant meet before it can be resold to a different owner?
- EPA 608 performance standard
- ASHRAE Standard 34
- AHRI 700 (formerly ARI 700) purity standard (Correct answer)
- OSHA 29 CFR refrigerant standard
Correct answer: AHRI 700 (formerly ARI 700) purity standard
Reclaimed refrigerants must meet AHRI 700 (formerly ARI 700) purity specifications before they can be resold or transferred to a different owner.
Question 3: Who is authorized to reclaim refrigerants for resale under EPA Section 608 regulations?
- Any EPA Section 608 certified technician
- Only EPA-registered reclaimers certified by an approved testing organization (Correct answer)
- Any licensed HVAC contractor with Universal certification
- Only the original refrigerant manufacturer
Correct answer: Only EPA-registered reclaimers certified by an approved testing organization
Only reclaimers registered with the EPA and certified by an EPA-approved testing organization are authorized to reprocess refrigerant to AHRI 700 standards for resale.
Question 4: Recycled refrigerant that has NOT been reclaimed to AHRI 700 standards may be used in which systems?
- Any system containing the same type of refrigerant
- Only brand-new systems installed after 1993
- The same system or other systems owned by the same person (Correct answer)
- Any system in the same building regardless of ownership
Correct answer: The same system or other systems owned by the same person
Recycled refrigerant not meeting AHRI 700 standards may only be returned to the same system or other equipment owned by the same person, due to ownership restrictions.
Question 5: What contaminants does refrigerant recycling equipment typically remove?
- Moisture only
- Oil only
- Oil, moisture, and non-condensable gases (Correct answer)
- Chemical dyes and UV additives only
Correct answer: Oil, moisture, and non-condensable gases
Refrigerant recycling equipment is designed to remove the three primary contaminants: oil, moisture, and non-condensable gases, making the refrigerant suitable for reuse.
Question 6: What is the primary environmental benefit of refrigerant recycling and reclamation programs?
- They convert CFCs into non-ozone-depleting compounds
- They reduce the need to vent or waste refrigerants that harm the ozone layer and contribute to climate change (Correct answer)
- They generate energy that offsets refrigerant manufacturing costs
- They eliminate all greenhouse gas potential from recovered refrigerants
Correct answer: They reduce the need to vent or waste refrigerants that harm the ozone layer and contribute to climate change
Recycling and reclamation allow ozone-depleting and high-GWP refrigerants to be reused rather than vented or wasted, directly reducing environmental harm.
Question 7: Which statement about reclaimed refrigerant is TRUE?
- It can only be used in the system from which it was originally recovered
- It meets AHRI 700 purity standards and can be resold to any buyer (Correct answer)
- It must be destroyed after the reclamation process
- It cannot be mixed with virgin refrigerant under any circumstances
Correct answer: It meets AHRI 700 purity standards and can be resold to any buyer
Reclaimed refrigerant meeting AHRI 700 purity standards is essentially equivalent to virgin refrigerant and may be resold to any buyer without ownership restrictions.
EPA Refrigerant Recycling and Reclamation 1
What distinguishes refrigerant 'recycling' from refrigerant 'reclamation'?