ODP ODP Recovery and Recycling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum allowable leak rate for comfort cooling equipment with more than 50 lbs of refrigerant under EPA Section 608?
- 20% per year
- 30% per year (Correct answer)
- 10% per year
- 15% per year
Correct answer: 30% per year
EPA Section 608 sets a 30% annual leak rate threshold for comfort cooling equipment containing more than 50 pounds of refrigerant before repair is required.
Question 2: Which type of recovery equipment is required when recovering refrigerant from appliances manufactured before November 15, 1993?
- UL-listed or EPA-approved recovery equipment (Correct answer)
- Any portable container
- Only factory-sealed cylinders
- Equipment certified after 1995
Correct answer: UL-listed or EPA-approved recovery equipment
EPA requires that all recovery equipment used for pre-1993 appliances be either UL-listed or approved under EPA's standards for proper containment.
Question 3: What color are DOT-approved refrigerant recovery cylinders typically required to display?
- Gray body with yellow top (Correct answer)
- All yellow
- All green
- Blue body with white top
Correct answer: Gray body with yellow top
DOT recovery cylinders are standardized with a gray body and yellow top to distinguish them from disposable cylinders and prevent confusion.
Question 4: A technician recovers R-22 from a system and stores it in a cylinder. Which action is prohibited under EPA rules?
- Topping off a disposable cylinder and refilling it with more refrigerant (Correct answer)
- Labeling the cylinder with the refrigerant type
- Sending the cylinder to a certified reclaimer
- Checking cylinder pressure before transport
Correct answer: Topping off a disposable cylinder and refilling it with more refrigerant
Disposable refrigerant cylinders are single-use only; refilling them is illegal under DOT regulations because it creates serious safety hazards.
Question 5: Under EPA Section 608, what must owners of equipment with over 50 lbs of refrigerant do after an appliance is found to be leaking above the threshold rate?
- Repair the leak within 30 days or develop a retrofit/retirement plan within 30 days (Correct answer)
- Immediately replace the entire system
- File a report with OSHA within 7 days
- Purge all refrigerant and discontinue use immediately
Correct answer: Repair the leak within 30 days or develop a retrofit/retirement plan within 30 days
When leak rates exceed EPA thresholds, owners must repair the leak within 30 days or, if repair is not feasible, develop a documented retrofit or retirement plan within 30 days.
Question 6: Which refrigerant recovery scenario is considered 'de minimis' and exempt from EPA Section 608 requirements?
- Releases that occur from normal system operation such as purging non-condensables with proper equipment (Correct answer)
- Venting small amounts during a quick repair
- Releasing less than 1 lb of refrigerant
- Any release during charging operations
Correct answer: Releases that occur from normal system operation such as purging non-condensables with proper equipment
EPA recognizes de minimis releases that occur during good-faith use of certified recovery equipment, such as small amounts that escape when disconnecting hoses, as unavoidable and exempt.
ODP ODP Recovery and Recycling 2
What is the maximum allowable leak rate for comfort cooling equipment with more than 50 lbs of refrigerant under EPA Section 608?