Ozone Depletion
The atmospheric layer located 7 to 30 miles above sea level that shields the Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
What is the stratosphere?
Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, this practice of knowingly venting ozone-depleting refrigerants during service or disposal is strictly illegal.
What is venting (or venting prohibition)?
The international environmental treaty signed in 1987 that phased out the production of ozone-depleting substances worldwide.
What is the Montreal Protocol?
To remove refrigerant in any condition from an appliance and store it in an external container without testing or processing it.
What is recovery (or recover)?
The heavier-than-air property of refrigerants that causes them to settle in low areas and displace oxygen, leading to this hazard.
What is asphyxiation (or suffocation)?
The specific atom in CFC and HCFC molecules that does not dissolve in water and destroys stratospheric ozone molecules.
What is chlorine?
The legal term for the minor, unavoidable releases of refrigerant that occur when connecting or disconnecting service hoses.
What is de minimis release?
The refrigerant category—including R-134a and R-410A—that contains fluorine, carbon, and hydrogen, having zero ODP.
What are HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons)?
The distinct DOT color combination required on all refillable refrigerant recovery cylinders.
What are yellow tops/shoulders and gray bodies?
The highly toxic, corrosive gas produced when halogenated refrigerants contact open flames or red-hot metal surfaces.
What is phosgene gas (or hydrofluoric/hydrochloric acid vapor)?
The chemical formula representing stratospheric ozone.
What is O3?
The maximum daily civil penalty per violation that the EPA can assess against technicians or contractors who violate the Clean Air Act.
What is up to 44,539 (or inflation-adjusted statutory maximums)?
The EPA program (SNAP) that evaluates and lists acceptable and unacceptable alternative refrigerants.
What is the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP)?
The maximum liquid capacity limit by weight that a refillable recovery cylinder can be safely filled.
Question: What is 80% capacity (water capacity weight limit)?
What is 80% capacity (water capacity weight limit)?
Under ASHRAE Standard 34 safety group classifications, the letter and number designating lower toxicity and no flame propagation (e.g., R-22, R-410A, R-134a)
What is an A1 safety rating?
The estimated number of ozone molecules that a single chlorine atom can break down before dropping out of the stratosphere.
What is 100,000 molecules?
The legal requirement to purchase regulated CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants in containers of 20 lbs or more.
What is EPA Section 608 technician certification?
The type of synthetic lubricant required for most HFC and HFO systems that is highly hygroscopic (absorbs moisture).
What is Polyolester (POE) oil?
Re-processing recovered refrigerant to meet AHRI Standard 700 purity specifications by using distillation and chemical analysis.
What is reclaim (or reclaiming)?
The only approved inert gas that should be used to pressurize a system for leak detection or to purge lines during brazing (never use oxygen or compressed air).
What is dry nitrogen (or carbon dioxide)?
The relative scale that measures the ability of a specific chemical compound to destroy stratospheric ozone compared to CFC-11.
What is Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)?
The required timeframe a technician must keep records when purchasing bulk refrigerant cylinders or disposing of medium-to-large appliances.
What is 3 years?
The range of temperatures where a non-azeotropic (zeotropic 400-series) refrigerant blend boils or condenses at a constant pressure.
What is temperature glide?
The standard procedure required before connecting a vacuum pump or recovery machine to a system with an inert holding charge to prevent blowing out pump oil.
What is venting the dry nitrogen charge?
The ASHRAE Standard 34 safety group classification assigned to mildly flammable, low-toxicity refrigerants like R-32 and R-454B.
What is A2L?