[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 40, Volume 17]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 40CFR82.32]



[Page 535-536]

 

                   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 

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



[[Page 536]]



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.

    (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]