Most refrigerants used in small appliances are low in toxicity. Why is a refrigerant leak near a flame still dangerous?

Safety · EPA 608 Type I. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Decomposition products of refrigerants at high temperatures, and safe handling.

The question

Most refrigerants used in small appliances are low in toxicity. Why is a refrigerant leak near a flame still dangerous?

• AThe flame makes the refrigerant radioactive
• BThe refrigerant puts out the flame and causes an explosion
• CIts decomposition products are far more toxic than the refrigerantCorrect answer
• DIt isn't dangerous, since the refrigerant is low in toxicity anyway

Why “Its decomposition products are far more toxic than the refrigerant” is correct

EPA's test topics list decomposition products of refrigerants at high temperatures as a Type I safety topic. Acids and, for chlorine-containing refrigerants, phosgene are far more harmful than the refrigerant itself.

Source: EPA: Test Topics

Why the other answers are wrong

• The flame makes the refrigerant radioactive — Refrigerants do not become radioactive.
• The refrigerant puts out the flame and causes an explosion — That is not how decomposition works; the issue is toxic gases.
• It isn't dangerous, since the refrigerant is low in toxicity anyway — Low toxicity in normal use does not hold once the refrigerant breaks down.

Practice more of this

More EPA 608 Type I practice questions, or see every EPA 608 practice test.