[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 15]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR82.32]

[Page 392-394]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 82--PROTECTION OF STRATOSPHERIC OZONE--Table of Contents
 
         Subpart B--Servicing of Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners
 
Sec. 82.32  Definitions.

    (a) Approved independent standards testing organization means any 
organization which has applied for and received approval from the 
Administrator pursuant to Sec. 82.38.
    (b) Approved refrigerant recycling equipment means equipment 
certified by the Administrator or an organization approved under 
Sec. 82.38 as meeting either one of the standards in Sec. 82.36. Such 
equipment extracts and recycles refrigerant or extracts refrigerant for

[[Page 393]]

recycling on-site or reclamation off-site.
    (c) Motor vehicle as used in this subpart means any vehicle which is 
self-propelled and designed for transporting persons or property on a 
street or highway, including but not limited to passenger cars, light 
duty vehicles, and heavy duty vehicles. This definition does not include 
a vehicle where final assembly of the vehicle has not been completed by 
the original equipment manufacturer.
    (d) Motor vehicle air conditioners means mechanical vapor 
compression refrigeration equipment used to cool the driver's or 
passenger's compartment of any motor vehicle. This definition is not 
intended to encompass the hermetically sealed refrigeration systems used 
on motor vehicles for refrigerated cargo and the air conditioning 
systems on passenger buses using HCFC-22 refrigerant.
    (e) Properly using. (1) Properly using means using equipment in 
conformity with the regulations set forth in this subpart, including but 
not limited to the prohibitions and required practices set forth in 
Sec. 82.34, and the recommended service procedures and practices for the 
containment of refrigerant set forth in appendices A, B, C, D, E, and F 
of this subpart, as applicable. In addition, this term includes 
operating the equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's guide to 
operation and maintenance and using the equipment only for the 
controlled substance for which the machine is designed. For equipment 
that extracts and recycles refrigerant, properly using also means to 
recycle refrigerant before it is returned to a motor vehicle air 
conditioner or MVAC-like appliance, including to the motor vehicle air 
conditioner or MVAC-like appliance from which the refrigerant was 
extracted. For equipment that only recovers refrigerant, properly using 
includes the requirement to recycle the refrigerant on-site or send the 
refrigerant off-site for reclamation.
    (2) Refrigerant from reclamation facilities that is used for the 
purpose of recharging motor vehicle air conditioners must be at or above 
the standard of purity developed by the Air-conditioning and 
Refrigeration Institute (ARI 700-93) (which is codified at 40 CFR part 
82, subpart F, appendix A, and is available at 4301 North Fairfax Drive, 
Suite 425, Arlington, Virginia 22203). Refrigerant may be recycled off-
site only if the refrigerant is extracted using recover only equipment, 
and is subsequently recycled off-site by equipment owned by the person 
that owns both the recover only equipment and owns or operates the 
establishment at which the refrigerant was extracted. In any event, 
approved equipment must be used to extract refrigerant prior to 
performing any service during which discharge of refrigerant from the 
motor vehicle air conditioner can reasonably be expected. Intentionally 
venting or disposing of refrigerant to the atmosphere is an improper use 
of equipment.
    (3) Notwithstanding any other terms of this paragraph (e), approved 
refrigerant recycling equipment may be transported off-site and used to 
perform service involving refrigerant at other locations where such 
servicing occurs. Any such servicing involving refrigerant must meet all 
of the requirements of this subpart B that would apply if the servicing 
occurred on-site.
    (4) Facilities that charge MVACs or MVAC-like appliances with 
refrigerant but do not perform any other service involving refrigerant 
(i.e., perform ``top-offs'' only) are considered to be engaged in 
``service involving refrigerant'' and are therefore subject to any and 
all requirements of this subsection that apply to facilities that 
perform a wider range of refrigerant servicing. For facilities that 
charge MVACs, this includes the requirement to purchase approved 
refrigerant recycling equipment. For facilities that only charge MVAC-
like appliances, this does not include the requirement to purchase 
approved refrigerant recycling equipment, but does include the 
requirement to be properly trained and certified by a technician 
certification program approved by the Administrator pursuant to either 
Sec. 82.40 or Sec. 82.161(a)(5).
    (5) All persons opening (as that term is defined in Sec. 82.152) 
MVAC-like appliances must have at least one piece of approved recovery 
or recycling equipment available at their place of business.

[[Page 394]]

    (f) Refrigerant means any class I or class II substance used in a 
motor vehicle air conditioner. Class I and class II substances are 
listed in part 82, subpart A, appendix A. Effective November 15, 1995, 
refrigerant shall also include any substitute substance.
    (g) Service for consideration means being paid to perform service, 
whether it is in cash, credit, goods, or services. This includes all 
service except that done for free.
    (h) Service involving refrigerant means any service during which 
discharge or release of refrigerant from the MVAC or MVAC-like appliance 
to the atmosphere can reasonably be expected to occur. Service involving 
refrigerant includes any service in which an MVAC or MVAC-like appliance 
is charged with refrigerant but no other service involving refrigerant 
is performed (i.e., a ``top-off'').
    (i) Motor vehicle disposal facility means any commercial facility 
that engages in the disposal (which includes dismantling, crushing or 
recycling) of MVACs or MVAC-like appliances, including but not limited 
to automotive recycling facilities, scrap yards, landfills and salvage 
yards engaged in such operations. Motor vehicle repair and/or servicing 
facilities, including collision repair facilities, are not considered 
motor vehicle disposal facilities.

[57 FR 31261, July 14, 1992, as amended at 60 FR 21687, May 2, 1995; 62 
FR 68046, Dec. 30, 1997]