FREON SYSTEM REGULATION
New EPA Regulations for Freon System (Non-Exempt Refrigerants)
effective January 2019
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Existing regulations affecting systems containing 50 pounds or more of class 1 or 2 refrigerants (I.E. R22, R12) was expanded to include any system containing 50 pounds or more of any non-exempt refrigerants. 40 CFR 82.154 list exempt refrigerants as Carbon dioxide in any application; Nitrogen in any application; Water in any application; Ammonia in commercial or industrial process refrigeration or in absorption units; Chlorine in industrial process refrigeration (processing of chlorine and chlorine compounds); Ethane (R-170) in some applications; Propane (R-290) in some applications; Isobutane (R-600a); R-441A in some applications.
These new regulations require records to be kept by the owner/operator of the equipment; required documents include but are not limited to the following:
- Repairs made to the system
- Type of system, system charge, and the refrigerant used
- Initial verification of repair
- Follow-up verification of repair
- Leak inspections (How often is determined by system type and size)
- Leak detector calibration and testing (where applicable)
- Identification and location of equipment
- Leak rate percentage
Records must be kept of all maintenance/ service to equipment, including but not limited to the following:
- Date of service
- Part of system serviced
- Type of service
- Name of person performing work
- Amount of refrigerant added/or removed from system
- Updated system charge, and method used to calculate