EPA Proposes NEW Rules Change

I am a little late getting this out. On October 1, 2018, the EPA proposed a rules change that would effectively wipe out all regulations on non-ozone depleting refrigerants.

Really, the only ozone depleting refrigerant that is widely in service now is R-22, which will be pretty much extinct in a few years. For all of today’s refrigerants, such as HFCs and HFOs, this rule change would mean anyone could purchase refrigerant, no certification would be required to handle refrigerant, no refrigerant recovery would be required, no mandatory leak checks, pretty much no regulations. This would put technicians following best industry practices at an economic disadvantage compared to folks who don’t both purchasing things like recovery machines. It would open up the path for Home Depot and Lowes to sell systems to the public, since purchasers would no longer be required to be certified. I believe it would lead to more mangled equipment, as well as mangled DIY folks who watched a You-Tube video on how to change their own compressor. I urge you to write in to the EPA and tell them that you want to keep the current regulations, passed on November 18, 2016. All comments must be received by November 15, 2018.

Here is a link to the full text of the proposed rule changes

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/01/2018-21084/protection-of-stratospheric-ozone-revisions-to-the-refrigerant-management-programs-extension-to#addresses

Here are the instructions for submitting a comment

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2017-0629, at www.regulations.gov. You will need to copy and paste the Docket ID