EPA Refrigerant Laws

• The gases used in air-conditioning units are strictly regulated. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  The EPA established various laws to regulate and/or phase out the use of different types of refrigerants, for the installation and maintenance of refrigerant systems, and for the dismantling, recycling or disposal of these systems. The purpose of these laws is to minimize or eliminate the deleterious effects of various refrigerants on the ozone and the environment.

Regulating Refrigerant Gases

• The U.S. government agreed to the Montreal Protocol, which aims at the eventual elimination of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). To enforce compliance with the Montreal Protocol, the EPA has established the Clean Air Act, which sets controls on imported and domestic production of refrigerant gases. The Clean Air Act also dictates that CFCs and HCFCs cannot leak during any phase of a refrigerant's service or maintenance, and that any gases removed from a refrigerant system must be purified before reuse or eliminated according to prescribed procedures.

Section 608 and Refrigerant Recycling

• Section 608 of the Clean Air Act details the refrigerant recycling requirements of the EPA. In brief, Section 608 requires that companies involved in the recycling of refrigerants maximize recovery and recycling of ozone-depleting substances; set certification requirements for the use and handling of refrigerants and technicians; restrict sale of refrigerant to certified technicians; ensure compliance with EPA standards of equipment used in recycling; repair substantial leaks in air-conditioning and refrigerating equipment with a charge greater than 50 pounds; and establish safe disposal requirements. Section 608 also prohibits venting of refrigerants into the atmosphere except in the following cases: minor releases during good faith attempts to recycle or dispose of equipment; minor leaks; release of CFCs or HCFCs that are not used as refrigerant gases; small releases of gas when purging or disconnecting refrigerant hoses.

R-22 Phaseout

• R-22 (a HCFC) is a common refrigerant gas that is recognized as a greenhouse gas. Thus, the EPA has determined that R-22 will be phased out of production by the year 2020. The first stage of the phaseout, beginning in 2010, begins with the EPA reducing production and importation of R-22. The second stage will involve the ban on the import, production or sale of R-22, with certain loopholes allowing for the use of recycled refrigerant in systems produced after 2009.