Yes, It is official… As printed in the Federal Register, the US EPA proposed rule to extend the refrigerant management provisions of Sec. 608 of the Clean Air Act to HFCs. Publication of the rule initiates a public comment period which lasts until January 8, 2016.
Major elements of the proposal include:
- Extending requirements of the National Recycling and Emission Reduction Program to non-exempt substitutes and to clarify that the actions required to qualify for the de minimis venting exemption for non-exempt substitute refrigerants are the same as those for ODS refrigerants
- Strengthening leak repair requirements
- Extending the sales restriction to substitute refrigerants, with an exception for small cans of MVAC refrigerant
- Establishing recordkeeping for appliances containing five to 50 pounds of ODS and substitute refrigerant
- Updating the technician certification program
- Improving readability and compliance and restructuring the requirements
You can download and read the signed proposed rule and the version published in the Federal Register below.
