CSLB C-20 HVAC ContractorCooling and RefrigerationMedium
A technician recovers refrigerant from a customer's failed system and wants to sell it to a third party. Per EPA regulations, what must happen to this refrigerant before it can be resold to a different owner?
- AIt must be recycled on-site using a single-pass filter-drier system
- BIt must be tested for purity using a handheld refractometer before resale
- CIt must be reclaimed to AHRI 700 purity standards by an EPA-certified reclaimer
- DIt must be relabeled with the technician's EPA certification number
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. It must be reclaimed to AHRI 700 purity standards by an EPA-certified reclaimer
EPA regulations require refrigerant that changes ownership to be reclaimed — processed to meet AHRI (formerly ARI) Standard 700 purity levels by a certified reclamation facility. On-site recycling is only acceptable for refrigerant returned to the same system or owner, not for resale to a different party.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. On-site recycling is only sufficient for reuse in equipment owned by the same customer, not for resale.
- B. A refractometer measures liquid concentration in other applications and is not the accepted method for verifying refrigerant purity.
- D. Relabeling with a certification number does not satisfy purity requirements for resale.
Reclaimed vs. Recycled Refrigerant
Recycled refrigerant is cleaned on-site for reuse by the same owner; reclaimed refrigerant is processed off-site to AHRI 700 purity standards for resale to other owners.
- Recycling: on-site, same system/owner, minimal processing
- Reclaiming: certified facility, AHRI 700 purity, required for resale/change of ownership
- EPA requires reclamation whenever refrigerant changes ownership
Memory trick: Recycle for yourself, Reclaim to sell