The university has the legal responsibility to reclaim and recycle refrigerant from regulated appliances. Federal regulations (40 C.F.R. 82.150 et seq.) establish the required practices for the servicing and disposal of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
Facilities & Services bears the university’s responsibility for complying with these federal requirements. Accordingly, all disposal of university-owned refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment should be performed by Facilities & Services (F&S). This will enable F&S to also fulfill applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements associated with refrigerant handling and recovery, including:
- Recapturing and recycling ozone-depleting chemicals from air-conditioning and
refrigeration equipment to the maximum degree
- Certifying requirements for technicians, reclaimers, and recovery equipment
- Restricting the sale of refrigerant to certified technicians
- Requiring anyone who services or disposes of air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment to certify to the EPA that they have the proper equipment and are in compliance
- Requiring safe disposal methods for disposed equipment containing refrigerant
Campus units with refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment slated for recycling or disposal (including smaller units such as water fountains, window AC units, personal refrigerators, etc.) should secure all such equipment in a manner so as to avoid unauthorized refrigerant evacuations, and, to deter illegal metal recycling.