EPA 608 609 - EPA Refrigerant Handling Recovery, Recycling, and Reclaiming Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following processes requires refrigerant to be reprocessed to meet AHRI Standard 700 specifications before it can be resold?
- Recovery
- Recycling
- Reclaiming (Correct answer)
- Retrofitting
Correct answer: Reclaiming
Reclaiming is the process of reprocessing a refrigerant to new product specifications, which are verified by chemical analysis. According to EPA regulations, reclaimed refrigerant must meet the purity levels specified in AHRI Standard 700 before it can be sold to a new owner.
Question 2: A technician removes refrigerant from a residential split system and cleans it on-site using a filter drier before charging it back into the same system. This process is defined as:
- Reclaiming
- Recycling (Correct answer)
- Transferring
- Disposing
Correct answer: Recycling
Recycling involves cleaning the refrigerant for reuse, typically by separating oil and passing it through filter-driers to remove moisture and particulates. The key aspect is that the recycled refrigerant is returned to equipment owned by the same person without being reprocessed to virgin specifications.
Question 3: Under EPA Section 608 regulations, what is the most basic process of removing refrigerant from a system, in any condition, and storing it in an external container?
- Recycling
- Reclaiming
- Reprocessing
- Recovery (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Recovery
The EPA defines recovery as the process of removing refrigerant from an appliance and storing it in an external container without necessarily testing or processing it in any way.
Question 4: A technician recovers refrigerant from a customer's air conditioner and wants to sell it to another customer. According to EPA regulations, what must be done with the refrigerant first?
- It must be filtered through a certified recycling machine on the job site.
- It must be sent to an EPA-certified reclaimer. (Correct answer)
- It can be sold as-is if it was recovered from a system less than 5 years old.
- It must be stored for at least 30 days to allow contaminants to settle.
Correct answer: It must be sent to an EPA-certified reclaimer.
If a recovered refrigerant changes ownership, it must be reclaimed by an EPA-certified refrigerant reclaimer to ensure it meets the required purity standards before being sold to a new owner.
Question 5: Which piece of equipment is designed to clean refrigerant on-site by removing oil, moisture, and other contaminants so it can be reused in a system owned by the same person?
- A reclamation unit
- A recovery cylinder
- A recycling unit (Correct answer)
- A vacuum pump
Correct answer: A recycling unit
Recycling equipment is used to clean refrigerant by extracting it and passing it through devices like filter-driers to reduce contaminants. This allows the refrigerant to be reused in equipment belonging to the same owner.
Question 6: A technician is servicing a motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) system. The process of removing the refrigerant and cleaning it on-site for immediate reuse in the same vehicle is known as:
- Reclaiming
- Recovery
- Recycling (Correct answer)
- Disposal
Correct answer: Recycling
For both stationary (608) and mobile (609) systems, recycling refers to cleaning the refrigerant for reuse by removing impurities like oil and moisture, allowing it to be put back into the same system or another system owned by the same person.
Which of the following processes requires refrigerant to be reprocessed to meet AHRI Standard 700 specifications before it can be resold?