refrigerants has been restricted to technicians certified in refrigerant recovery. Reclaimers must maintain records of the names and addresses of persons sending them material for reclamation and the quantity of material sent to them for reclamation. At the end of each calendar year, the reclaimer must submit an annual activity report to the EPA. 15.7 Hazardous Waste Disposal Recycled or reclaimed refrigerants are not considered hazardous waste under federal law. Likewise, used oils contaminated with CFCs are not classified as hazardous provided they are: • •• Not mixed with other waste. •• Subjected to CFC recycling or reclamation. • Not mixed with used oils from other sources. Individuals with questions regarding the proper handling of used oils should contact the EPA for guidance. 15.8 Certification Requirements Not only do technicians need certification, so does the equipment the technicians are using. The sections below describe different technician certi- fications, testing information, and equipment certification. 15.8.1 Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Section 609 of the Clean Air Act requires all persons who service motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) units be certified in refrigerant recovery and recycling and proper use of approved equip- ment when performing service involving refrig- erant. Servicing includes repairs, leak testing, and “topping off” air conditioning systems low on refrigerant, as well as other vehicle repairs that require dismantling the air conditioner. MVAC certification can be obtained through a home- study program that includes a booklet and mail-in test. The test is open-book. accordance with EPA requirements for servicing. Equipment that typically enters the waste stream with the charge intact (auto air conditioners, domestic refrigerators, room air conditioners) is subject to certain safe disposal requirements. The final person in the disposal chain (junk- yard or landfill owner) is responsible for ensuring refrigerant is recovered from equipment before the equipment’s final disposal. However, persons “upstream” may remove the refrigerant and provide documentation of its removal to the final person if it is more cost-effective. 15.6 Record-Keeping Requirements Technicians, appliance owners, refrigerant wholesalers, and reclaimers all must keep accu- rate records of services and transactions involving refrigerants. Technicians servicing appliances that contain 50 or more pounds of refrigerant must provide the owner with an invoice indicating the amount of refrigerant added to the system. Technicians must also provide records of leak inspections and tests performed to verify repairs of leaks. Technicians must also keep proof of certification at their place of business. When disposing of a system containing between 5 lb and 50 lb of refrigerant, technicians must keep records of the disposal, including the following information: • •• Location of recovery. •• Date of recovery. •• Type of refrigerant recovered. •• Monthly totals of amounts recovered. • Amounts sent for reclamation. Owners of appliances that contain 50 or more pounds of refrigerant must keep service records documenting the date and type of service (including leak inspections and repairs), as well as the quantity of refrigerant added. If a system leaks over 125% of its full charge in year, the owner is required to submit a report to the EPA. The report must detail the corrective action taken to identify and repair the leak. Wholesalers who sell HCFC refrigerants must retain invoices that indicate the name of the purchaser, the date of sale, and the quantity of refrigerant purchased. Since 1994, sale of these Chapter 15 Refrigerant Recovery and Recycling 265 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.