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Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Appliance Servicing

Refrigerants must be captured and not knowingly released into the atmosphere. This page provides information on:

• General Requirements
• Technician Certification
• Who to Call for Help

General Requirements

The appliance servicing requirements can be found at the U.S. EPA's Web site.

Technician Certification

Technicians that perform maintenance, service or repair that could be reasonably expected to release refrigerants into the atmosphere are required to possess certification obtained through a U.S. EPA-approved program. A list of approved programs is available by visiting the U.S. EPA's Web site.

Activities that would require certification include:

1. Attaching and detaching hoses and gauges to and from the appliance to measure pressure within the appliance;
2. adding refrigerant to or removing refrigerant from the appliance; and
3. any other activity that violates the integrity of the refrigerant circuit while there is refrigerant in the appliance.

Four types of certifications are available. The type of certification required depends on the type of appliances serviced:

More Information

• For technical questions or for more information about CFCs, contact Jeffrey Bratko, U.S. EPA, Region V, Chicago, 312-886-6816. If you have a complaint, contact Lisa Holscher, U.S. EPA, Region V, Chicago, 312-886-6818.
  
  
• EPA Ozone DepletionWeb Site. Information on acceptable alternatives, retrofitting, handling contaminated or unfamiliar refrigerants, and technician certification programs.