A disposable cylinder of R-410A is empty. What should the technician never do with it?
Safety · EPA 608 Core. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Exposure risks, protective equipment, the 80% cylinder limit and nitrogen for leak testing.
The question
A disposable cylinder of R-410A is empty. What should the technician never do with it?
- Mark it as empty
- Recover the remaining vapor from it
- Refill it with recovered refrigerantCorrect answer
- Take it to a metal recycler once it is emptied
Why “Refill it with recovered refrigerant” is correct
Disposable cylinders are not built or approved for refilling. Refilling one can lead to a rupture. Recovered refrigerant goes only into DOT-approved refillable recovery cylinders.
Source: EPA: Test Topics; 40 CFR 84.116
Why the other answers are wrong
- Mark it as empty — Marking it empty is a reasonable step before disposal.
- Recover the remaining vapor from it — Recovering the heel from a disposable cylinder is the correct practice.
- Take it to a metal recycler once it is emptied — Once its heel has been recovered, an empty disposable cylinder can go for scrap; for HFC cylinders, 40 CFR 84.116 adds heel-removal paperwork from 2028.
Practice more of this
More EPA 608 Core practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.
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