EPA has approved the
Recovery devices need to be tested to ensure they meet EPA requirements. The EPA approves two organizations to certify recycling and recovery equipment: AHRI (the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute), and. UL (the Underwriters Laboratories).
Recovery Levels
When the compressor in Type I appliances is not working, the EPA Section 608 rules require recovering 80 percent of the charge amount on the appliance nameplate. For appliances with working compressors, the EPA Section 608 rules require either: Recovery of 90 percent of the nameplate charge, or.
All new recovery equipment for refrigerants is required to have an EPA-approved certification label to comply with environmental safety standards.
Per DOT regulations, recovery cylinder certification expires five years from the date of manufacture. By the five-year mark, the recovery cylinder must be certified by a facility approved by DOT. When a cylinder is recertified, the recertification date is marked on the cylinder in one of two ways.
EPA has approved the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to certify recycling and recovery equipment. Both organizations can provide information on certified equipment.
The “requalification” date, also known as the “retest” date , is an important marking for fillers and/or consumers. Propane cylinders must be requalified or replaced every 5 or10 years depending on the cylinder type, condition, and previous requalification method. (Ref. 49 CFR § 180.205(d) and 180.209(e).)
SAE standard J2810 states the requirements for equipment used for R-134a recovery only. Recovery-only equipment can't recycle refrigerant or recharge a system, but may be beneficial to some operations such as automotive salvage yards or service businesses with multiple outlets.
Refrigerant can only be sold to technicians certified under the Section 608 or Section 609 technician certification programs, where individuals may only purchase refrigerant consistent with the appliances covered by their certification.
EPA regulations (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F ) under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act require that technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified.
Section 608 technician certification is required to purchase ozone depleting or non-exempt substitute refrigerants, such as HFC refrigerants. Section 609 technician certification is required to purchase CFC-12 or EPA-approved substitutes for MVACs containing an ODS.
Section 608 Technician Certification credentials do not expire.
Any person servicing, installing or disposing of stationary appliances (except the disposal of small appliances) must be a section 608 certified technician. Selling refrigerant to an individual or company that is not complying with this requirement could result in enforcement action against you or your company.
Technicians receiving a passing grade on the Type I (small appliance) examination are certified to recover refrigerant during the maintenance, service, or repair of packaged terminal air conditioners with 5 pounds or less or refrigerant.
You are required to have an EPA Section 608 Type II or Universal certification license to handle R-410A, but no license is legally necessary for purchase.
Recovery devices need to be tested to ensure they meet EPA requirements. The EPA approves two organizations to certify recycling and recovery equipment: AHRI (the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute), and. UL (the Underwriters Laboratories).
To be certified, technicians must be trained by an EPA-approved program and pass a test demonstrating their knowledge in these areas. The following companies and programs are approved by EPA to train and certify individuals under section 609 of the Clean Air Act.
Do technicians who already have a 609 Certification need to be re-certified? If a technician was certified anytime since 1991, there is no required re-certification. Their certification is good for life. However, in 2015, the 609 Certification program was updated to include training for working with R-1234yf.
Why is EPA certification important? The EPA currently requires that all people who work with any system that contains refrigerant (such as heat pumps and air conditioners) have an EPA 608 certification. Technicians are not permitted to purchase refrigerants unless they have this credential.
The questions are on specific information in the EPA Section 608 laws. It is a proctored exam and has to be by a licensed person who watches you and your computer so you don't cheat (required by the EPA). How much does the EPA 608 certification cost? The EPA 608 class and test is $324.
Generally, tank recertification needs to be done between 5 and 12 years based on the date of manufacture, and includes visual defects and other factors as well. Larger tanks may also need to be recertified, but through a different process.
Service life for SCBA cylinders is currently limited to 15 years by U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Code of Federal Regulations and Special Permits issued to SCBA cylinder manufacturers.
Most propane grill tanks come with two numbers stamped on the handle – the water capacity (“WC”) and Tare Weight (TW – the weight of the tank when it's empty). Most grilling tanks weigh about 17 pounds when empty.