Properly using.
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 § 82.34, and the recommended service procedures and practices for the containment of refrigerant set forth in § 82.36(a) and appendices A, B, C, D, E, and F to 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 § 82.40 or § 82.161(a)(5).
(5) All persons opening (as that term is defined in § 82.152) MVAC-like appliances must have at least one piece of approved recovery or recycling equipment available at their place of business.