Recovery and recycling machines made on or after November 15, 1993, must be certified by whom?
An EPA-approved equipment testing organization. Manufacturers and importers must have recovery and recycling machines certified by one, and technicians must use certified equipment.
- An EPA-approved equipment testing organizationCorrect answer
- The technician's employer
- The refrigerant manufacturer
- The state licensing board
Why “An EPA-approved equipment testing organization” is correct
Under 40 CFR 82.158(d), manufacturers and importers must have recovery and recycling equipment certified by an approved equipment testing organization, an independent third party approved by EPA. Equipment made before November 15, 1993 is grandfathered if it meets the performance levels in the rule.
Source: 40 CFR 82.158(d)
Why the other answers are wrong
- The technician's employer — Employers do not certify equipment; independent testing organizations do.
- The refrigerant manufacturer — Refrigerant makers do not certify recovery machines.
- The state licensing board — State boards license contractors; EPA rules set equipment certification.
The source, word for word
Manufacturers and importers of recovery and/or recycling equipment must have such equipment certified by an approved equipment testing organization as follows:
Using recovery and/or recycling equipment that is certified for that type of refrigerant and appliance under § 82.158 .
Who is on the hook for what
The duty falls on two groups. Manufacturers and importers get the machine certified. The person servicing or disposing of an appliance has to use equipment certified for that refrigerant and appliance type.
- Equipment made before November 15, 1993, counts as certified if it meets the standards in 40 CFR 82.158(c), (e) or (g), without a testing organization having certified it (40 CFR 82.152).
- Small-appliance equipment has its own performance standard in 40 CFR 82.158(e). The small-appliance standard gives the numbers.
- Certified equipment carries a label naming the testing organization (40 CFR 82.158(h)), and manufacturers must have it retested at least once every three years (40 CFR 82.158(i)).
Keep practicing
- EPA refrigerant recovery rules
- The standard for small-appliance recovery equipment
- When system-dependent recovery is not allowed
- EPA 608 Core practice test
Unofficial, not affiliated with the EPA or any EPA-approved certifying organization. Questions are original practice written from public EPA material, not real exam questions.