EPA 609 Refrigerant Recovery & Recycling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What type of container must recovered refrigerant be stored in?
- Any sealed metal container
- DOT-approved recovery cylinders that are clearly labeled (Correct answer)
- The original refrigerant can
- Plastic containers approved for fuel storage
Correct answer: DOT-approved recovery cylinders that are clearly labeled
Recovered refrigerant must be stored in DOT-approved recovery cylinders that are properly labeled with the refrigerant type and recovery date.
Question 2: Can R-134a and R-12 be mixed in the same recovery cylinder?
- Yes, if the cylinder is large enough
- Yes, if both are under 50 psi
- No — different refrigerants must NEVER be mixed (Correct answer)
- Yes, if the refrigerant will be immediately reclaimed
Correct answer: No — different refrigerants must NEVER be mixed
Mixing refrigerants creates a contaminated blend that is extremely difficult to separate and reclaim, and may damage the reclaimer's equipment.
Question 3: What must technicians do if they discover that a vehicle's A/C system contains a refrigerant other than what is labeled?
- Add the labeled refrigerant to top it off
- Recover it into a separate cylinder for contaminated refrigerant (Correct answer)
- Vent it since it cannot be recovered
- Mix it with virgin refrigerant to bring it to spec
Correct answer: Recover it into a separate cylinder for contaminated refrigerant
Unknown or mixed refrigerants must be recovered into a dedicated 'contaminated' or 'unknown' cylinder to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 4: Recovery cylinders must be checked and retired when they reach:
- 5 years of age regardless of condition
- Their retest date or show signs of damage/corrosion (Correct answer)
- When they have been used for 100 recovery cycles
- When pressure drops below 10 psi
Correct answer: Their retest date or show signs of damage/corrosion
DOT recovery cylinders must be hydrostatically retested periodically (typically every 5 years) and retired if damaged or past their retest date.
Question 5: The maximum fill level for refrigerant recovery cylinders is:
- 60% of water capacity by weight
- 80% of water capacity by weight (Correct answer)
- 90% of water capacity by weight
- 100% — they are designed to be fully filled
Correct answer: 80% of water capacity by weight
Recovery cylinders must never be filled beyond 80% of their water capacity by weight to allow for refrigerant expansion.
Question 6: Which equipment is required for MVAC refrigerant service under Section 609?
- Recovery-only equipment is sufficient
- Recovery/recycling or recovery-only equipment certified to SAE J2788 (Correct answer)
- Only EPA-registered vacuum pumps
- Dedicated government-issued recovery machines
Correct answer: Recovery/recycling or recovery-only equipment certified to SAE J2788
Technicians must use recovery or recovery/recycling equipment that meets SAE J2788 certification to comply with EPA Section 609.
EPA 609 Refrigerant Recovery & Recycling 2
What type of container must recovered refrigerant be stored in?