What is the EPA venting prohibition under 40 CFR 82.154, and which refrigerants are exempt from it? Answer in under 100 words.
Details / How it works
Section 82.154(a) prohibits any person maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of an appliance or industrial process refrigeration from knowingly venting or otherwise releasing refrigerant into the environment. Knowing release of a recovered class I or II refrigerant, or of a non-exempt substitute not listed in the paragraph (a)(1) exemptions, violates the prohibition. De minimis releases made during good-faith recovery/recycling attempts are excluded only when the applicable practices in §§ 82.155–82.157, certified recovery equipment per § 82.158, technician certification per § 82.161, and reclaimer certification per § 82.164 are observed.
Numbers & thresholds
| Exempt substance | Permitted end-use(s) |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide (CO₂), Nitrogen (N₂), Water (H₂O) | Any application |
| Ammonia (NH₃) | Commercial or industrial process refrigeration; absorption units |
| Chlorine (Cl₂) | Industrial process refrigeration (processing of chlorine/chlorine compounds) |
| Hydrocarbons | Industrial process refrigeration (processing of hydrocarbons) |
| Ethane (R-170) | Very low temperature refrigeration; non-mechanical heat transfer equipment |
| Propane (R-290) | Stand-alone retail food units; household refrigerators/freezers; self-contained room A/C and heat pumps; vending machines; commercial ice machines; very low temperature equipment; water coolers; and, effective July 15, 2024, retail food processing/dispensing equipment |
| Isobutane (R-600a) | Stand-alone retail food units; household refrigerators/freezers; vending machines |
| R-441A blend | Same end-uses as isobutane plus residential/light-commercial self-contained A/C and heat pumps |
MVAC containers holding two pounds or less of non-exempt substitute must have leakage rates not exceeding 3.00 grams per year when the self-sealing valve is closed.
Exceptions & edge cases
- De minimis releases tied to good-faith recycling/recovery are not subject to the prohibition if required practices and certifications are followed.
- Used refrigerant may be sold only after reclamation by an EPA-certified reclaimer, or when restricted to MVAC/MVAC-like appliances recycled under subpart B.
- Sales restrictions: non-exempt substitutes can only be sold to certified technicians, certified employers, appliance manufacturers, or in compliant small containers (≤2 lb, unique fitting, self-sealing valve).
- Appliances (except small appliances and those using exempt substitutes) must be equipped with servicing apertures; small appliances require process stubs.
- One-time expansion devices may only contain refrigerants exempted under paragraph (a)(1).
Sources
- [1]U.S. National Archives, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 40 CFR 82.154 — Prohibitions · as of 2026-08-26
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