Environmental Protection Agency Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0453 Final Rule

2016-24215: Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Update to the Refrigerant Management Requirements Under the Clean Air Act

Comment Period Closed

Public comment closed .

Get alerted when the next rule lands

New rules open for comment on their own schedule. Pick how you want to hear about them — we email you when one appears.

Publishing to members? Embed a live rule tracker on your own site — the proposed rules in your area and the comment deadlines closing on them, updating themselves. Free, one line of HTML.

Create a free account & build one →

Summary

The Clean Air Act prohibits the knowing release of ozone- depleting and substitute refrigerants during the course of maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of appliances or industrial process refrigeration. The existing regulations require that persons maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment containing more than 50 pounds of refrigerant observe certain service practices that reduce emissions of ozone- depleting refrigerant. This rule updates those existing requirements as well as extends them, as appropriate, to non-ozone depleting substitute refrigerants, such as hydrofluorocarbons. Updates include strengthened leak repair requirements, recordkeeping requirements for the disposal of appliances containing more than five and less than 50 pounds of refrigerant, revisions to the technician certification program, and revisions for improved readability and compliance. As a result, this action reduces emissions of ozone-depleting substances and gases with high global warming potentials.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

Don't miss the comment window

One Click Politics alerts you on every deadline, hearing, and rule change.

See all rules with comments due soon →