EPA 609 Refrigerant Recovery & Recycling 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Before opening any MVAC system for repairs, what must a technician do first?
- Check the system pressure
- Recover all refrigerant using approved equipment (Correct answer)
- Add dye to locate leaks
- Replace the cabin air filter
Correct answer: Recover all refrigerant using approved equipment
EPA regulations require that all refrigerant must be recovered using approved recovery equipment before any MVAC system component is opened.
Question 2: Recovery equipment for MVAC systems must be certified to which standard?
- SAE J2099
- SAE J2788 (Correct answer)
- UL 1973
- ANSI/ASHRAE 15
Correct answer: SAE J2788
MVAC refrigerant recovery/recycling equipment must meet SAE J2788 standards, which specify recovery and purity efficiency requirements.
Question 3: What is the difference between 'recovery' and 'recycling' of refrigerant?
- They are the same process
- Recovery removes refrigerant from the system; recycling cleans it on-site for reuse (Correct answer)
- Recycling is done at the factory; recovery is done in the field
- Recovery is illegal; only recycling is permitted
Correct answer: Recovery removes refrigerant from the system; recycling cleans it on-site for reuse
Recovery transfers refrigerant from the vehicle to a container, while recycling additionally passes it through filters and driers to remove contaminants for reuse.
Question 4: What is 'reclaimed' refrigerant?
- Refrigerant filtered at the shop for immediate reuse
- Refrigerant sent to a certified facility and processed to meet AHRI 700 purity standards (Correct answer)
- Refrigerant recovered from scrapped vehicles
- Any used refrigerant added back to a system
Correct answer: Refrigerant sent to a certified facility and processed to meet AHRI 700 purity standards
Reclaimed refrigerant has been processed off-site to meet AHRI 700 purity standards, equivalent to virgin refrigerant.
Question 5: Recovered refrigerant that is contaminated with moisture or other refrigerants should be:
- Vented safely outside the shop
- Sent to a certified reclaimer for processing (Correct answer)
- Mixed with new refrigerant to dilute contamination
- Poured down the shop floor drain
Correct answer: Sent to a certified reclaimer for processing
Contaminated refrigerant must be sent to a certified reclaimer who has equipment to separate and purify it properly.
Question 6: According to EPA Section 609, recovery equipment must remove what percentage of refrigerant from an MVAC system?
- At least 80%
- At least 90% (Correct answer)
- At least 95%
- 100% — no refrigerant may remain
Correct answer: At least 90%
EPA-approved MVAC recovery equipment must achieve at least 90% efficiency in removing refrigerant from the system.
EPA 609 Refrigerant Recovery & Recycling 1
Before opening any MVAC system for repairs, what must a technician do first?