CAR Appliance Recycler Safety & Hazardous Material Handling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal regulation governs the proper handling and disposal of refrigerants recovered from household appliances?
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120
- EPA Section 608 of the Clean Air Act (Correct answer)
- RCRA Subtitle C
- DOT 49 CFR Part 173
Correct answer: EPA Section 608 of the Clean Air Act
EPA Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibits the venting of refrigerants and requires certified technicians to recover them properly.
Question 2: When draining motor oil from a washing machine gearcase, what is the minimum PPE required?
- Safety glasses only
- Nitrile gloves and safety glasses
- Full face shield, nitrile gloves, and chemical-resistant apron (Correct answer)
- Steel-toed boots only
Correct answer: Full face shield, nitrile gloves, and chemical-resistant apron
Draining motor oil requires protection against splash hazards to the eyes, skin, and clothing, necessitating a full face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, and an apron.
Question 3: A recycler receives a chest freezer containing an unknown white crystalline substance inside the food compartment. The first action should be to:
- Proceed with dismantling since food residue is not hazardous
- Smell the substance to help identify it
- Isolate the unit and report to the site supervisor (Correct answer)
- Rinse the compartment with water before processing
Correct answer: Isolate the unit and report to the site supervisor
Unknown substances must be treated as potentially hazardous; the unit should be isolated and a supervisor notified before any further handling.
Question 4: Which refrigerant, commonly found in older window air conditioners, has the highest ozone depletion potential (ODP)?
- R-410A
- R-134a
- R-22 (Correct answer)
- R-600a
Correct answer: R-22
R-22 (HCFC-22) has a significant ozone depletion potential and was phased out of new equipment production under the Clean Air Act.
Question 5: What is the correct disposal method for capacitors removed from microwave ovens that may still hold a charge?
- Place directly in the scrap metal bin
- Discharge using an insulated screwdriver across the terminals, then dispose as scrap metal (Correct answer)
- Submerge in water to dissipate the charge
- Leave them in a cardboard box for 24 hours before disposal
Correct answer: Discharge using an insulated screwdriver across the terminals, then dispose as scrap metal
Capacitors must be safely discharged using a properly insulated resistor or screwdriver before handling to prevent electrical shock.
Question 6: Under EPA rules, recovered refrigerant must be stored in containers that are:
- Any clean plastic bucket with a lid
- DOT-approved recovery cylinders color-coded gray with yellow tops (Correct answer)
- Standard compressed gas cylinders painted any solid color
- Cardboard drums lined with plastic sheeting
Correct answer: DOT-approved recovery cylinders color-coded gray with yellow tops
EPA and DOT require recovered refrigerants to be stored in approved recovery cylinders, which are color-coded gray body with yellow top for mixed/unknown refrigerants.
Question 7: A technician notices a strong ammonia odor while processing a commercial refrigerator unit. The correct immediate response is to:
- Continue working while wearing a dust mask
- Ventilate the area and evacuate until the source is identified (Correct answer)
- Pour baking soda on the source area to neutralize the odor
- Increase fan speed to disperse the fumes
Correct answer: Ventilate the area and evacuate until the source is identified
Ammonia (R-717) is toxic and flammable; an ammonia leak requires immediate evacuation and ventilation until the source is safely identified and controlled.
CAR Appliance Recycler Safety & Hazardous Material Handling 2
Which federal regulation governs the proper handling and disposal of refrigerants recovered from household appliances?