Refrigerant Recovery Systems and EPA Compliance

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Back in the 1980s, it became apparent that the most popular refrigerants used in automobile air conditioning systems could do a great deal of damage to the environment if they were released into the atmosphere, and consequently, refrigerant recovery systems were needed to collect any CFCs. CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons have been proven to damage atmospheric Ozone. The Ozone layer protects the world from the harmful ultra violet rays from the sun, and if it was damaged people around the world would suffer a higher risk of contracting various skin cancers from the sun.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) put in place a number of guidelines and regulations to minimize the amount of CFCs that were unnecessarily released into the atmosphere, and required that whenever repairs are carried out to an automobile air conditioning system, the refrigerant is collected by using a refrigerant recovery system, and then it can be recycled or properly disposed of in order to minimize any environmental impact that it has.

Under section 608 of the CAA, the EPA requires that all possible measures be taken to prevent the venting of CFCs when car air-conditioning is being worked on. The act, which was introduced in 1992, sets out a number of penalties that can be applied to anyone who knowingly allows for CFCs to be released into the atmosphere. These penalties include large fines after conviction, and heavy censure.

In order to meet the EPA regulations and ensure that a minimum of 80% of refrigerant is recovered during repairs to an air conditioning system, a good quality refrigerant recovery system is absolutely essential as part of your workshop set up.

Because the damage done by CFCs to the ozone layer is practically irreparable, and extremely severe, preventing their release into the environment is absolutely essential, and it is because of their potency that the EPA regulations are so strenuously applied. If a person or business is found to have broken EPA guideline 608, they can face fines of up to $25,000 per violation.

Although the huge fines for operating without a refrigerant recovery system ought to be enough to ensure that everyone in the industry invests in keeping in line with the regulations, simple environmental responsibility should also be taken into account.

Choosing the right kind of refrigerant recovery system for your business is essenti

al. You need to ensure that the equipment has enough capacity to handle whatever jobs come your way, and yet fits in with your acquisition budget.

Refrigerant recovery systems can be used to safely drain the coolant from an AC system, and then clean it of any contaminant such as water and oil in order to allow it to be reused effectively. Prices start from around $2500 for a machine that is able to be used for recovery of R134A coolant up to in excess of $7000 for a fully equipped professional standard machine with a high capacity. While these prices may seem quite high for a single piece of equipment, and you may feel that you should invest in a wide range of other tools instead, having a refrigerant recovery system will allow you to legally carry out AC servicing, which offers high profits. Having the right system will let you avoid any fines, and also let you do your bit to protect the environment.

Red Hill Supply offer a wider selection of refrigerant recovery systems than practically any of their rivals, and provide equipment from all the biggest known manufacturers including RTI, which is the leading maker of air conditioning repair tools in the world today, and a highly regarded company in terms of the quality of the products that they offer.