§ 82.32 - Definitions.

§ 82.32 Definitions.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 86 FR 15595, Mar. 24, 2021.

(a) Approved independent standards testing organization means any organization which has applied for and received approval from the Administrator pursuant to § 82.38.

(b) Approved refrigerant recycling equipment means equipment certified by the Administrator or an organization approved under § 82.38 as meeting either one of the standards in § 82.36. Such equipment extracts and recycles refrigerant or extracts refrigerant for recycling on-site or reclamation off-site.

(c) Motor vehicle as used in this subpart means any vehicle which is self-propelled and designed for transporting persons or property on a street or highway, including but not limited to passenger cars, light duty vehicles, and heavy duty vehicles. This definition does not include a vehicle where final assembly of the vehicle has not been completed by the original equipment manufacturer.

(d) Motor vehicle air conditioners means mechanical vapor compression refrigeration equipment used to cool the driver's or passenger's compartment of any motor vehicle. This definition is not intended to encompass the hermetically sealed refrigeration systems used on motor vehicles for refrigerated cargo and the air conditioning systems on passenger buses using HCFC-22 refrigerant.

(e) Properly using.

(1) Properly using means using equipment in conformity with the regulations set forth in this subpart, including but not limited to the prohibitions and required practices set forth in § 82.34, and the recommended service procedures and practices for the containment of refrigerant set forth in § 82.36(a) and appendices A, B, C, D, E, and F of to this subpart, as applicable. In addition, this term includes operating the equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's guide to operation and maintenance and using the equipment only for the controlled substance for which the machine is designed. For equipment that extracts and recycles refrigerant, properly using also means to recycle refrigerant before it is returned to a motor vehicle air conditioner or MVAC-like appliance, including to the motor vehicle air conditioner or MVAC-like appliance from which the refrigerant was extracted. For equipment that only recovers refrigerant, properly using includes the requirement to recycle the refrigerant on-site or send the refrigerant off-site for reclamation.

(2) Refrigerant from reclamation facilities that is used for the purpose of recharging motor vehicle air conditioners must be at or above the standard of purity developed by the Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI 700-93) (which is codified at 40 CFR part 82, subpart F, appendix A, and is available at 4301 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 425, Arlington, Virginia 22203). Refrigerant may be recycled off-site only if the refrigerant is extracted using recover only equipment, and is subsequently recycled off-site by equipment owned by the person that owns both the recover only equipment and owns or operates the establishment at which the refrigerant was extracted. In any event, approved equipment must be used to extract refrigerant prior to performing any service during which discharge of refrigerant from the motor vehicle air conditioner can reasonably be expected. Intentionally venting or disposing of refrigerant to the atmosphere is an improper use of equipment.

(3) Notwithstanding any other terms of this paragraph (e), approved refrigerant recycling equipment may be transported off-site and used to perform service involving refrigerant at other locations where such servicing occurs. Any such servicing involving refrigerant must meet all of the requirements of this subpart B that would apply if the servicing occurred on-site.

(4) Facilities that charge MVACs or MVAC-like appliances with refrigerant but do not perform any other service involving refrigerant (i.e., perform “top-offs” only) are considered to be engaged in “service involving refrigerant” and are therefore subject to any and all requirements of this subsection that apply to facilities that perform a wider range of refrigerant servicing. For facilities that charge MVACs, this includes the requirement to purchase approved refrigerant recycling equipment. For facilities that only charge MVAC-like appliances, this does not include the requirement to purchase approved refrigerant recycling equipment, but does include the requirement to be properly trained and certified by a technician certification program approved by the Administrator pursuant to either § 82.40 or § 82.161(a)(5).

(5) All persons opening (as that term is defined in § 82.152) MVAC-like appliances must have at least one piece of approved recovery or recycling equipment available at their place of business.

(f) Refrigerant means any class I or class II substance used in a motor vehicle air conditioner. Class I and class II substances are listed in part 82, subpart A, appendix A. Effective November 15, 1995, refrigerant shall also include any substitute substance.

(g) Service for consideration means being paid to perform service, whether it is in cash, credit, goods, or services. This includes all service except that done for free.

(h) Service involving refrigerant means any service during which discharge or release of refrigerant from the MVAC or MVAC-like appliance to the atmosphere can reasonably be expected to occur. Service involving refrigerant includes any service in which an MVAC or MVAC-like appliance is charged with refrigerant but no other service involving refrigerant is performed (i.e., a “top-off”).

(i) Motor vehicle disposal facility means any commercial facility that engages in the disposal (which includes dismantling, crushing or recycling) of MVACs or MVAC-like appliances, including but not limited to automotive recycling facilities, scrap yards, landfills and salvage yards engaged in such operations. Motor vehicle repair and/or servicing facilities, including collision repair facilities, are not considered motor vehicle disposal facilities.

[57 FR 31261, July 14, 1992, as amended at 60 FR 21687, May 2, 1995; 62 FR 68046, Dec. 30, 1997; 86 FR 15595, Mar. 24, 2021]