William G. Owen
Carla Liikala
In 1990 Congress passed the Clean Air Act to help improve the quality of the air we breathe. The law addresses many sources and types of air pollution, including auto emissions, factory releases and ozone-depleting gases such as chloroflourocarbons (CFC's),
hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFC's) and hydroflourocarbons (HFC's). These gases are commonly used as refrigerants in air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers and refrigerators. They cause little harm when contained in appliances, but scientists fear that they may contribute to the growing depletion of the earth's ozone layer when released into the atmosphere. The ozone layer blocks many of the sun's ultraviolet rays. "Holes" in the ozone layer are blamed for increased incidence of skin cancer and eye problems such as cataracts.
In an effort to control the release of refrigerants gases, Section 608 of the Clean Air Act addresses the problem of recycling the gases contained in home appliances such as freezers, refrigerators and air conditioning units. This section of the law, part of which took effect on July 1, 1992, requires anyone disposing of these appliances to follow an extensive compliance program. The fact that part of the law is in effect while the rules for the program have not yet been developed is causing confusion among people wishing to dispose of an appliance and businesses who haul or recycle them.
The law prohibits anyone from "knowingly venting ozone depleting compounds used as refrigerants into the atmosphere while maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of air conditioning or refrigeration equipment." Violators can be fined up to $25,000 a day for non-compliance. It also requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to develop a program of certification for both technicians who work on appliances that contain refrigerant gases and equipment used to drain the gases from appliances prior to disposal. Unfortunately, those programs were not in place when the July 1 venting ban took effect, and therein lies the confusion.
The current USEPA-planned proposal calls for the items that typically enter the waste stream with their refrigeration units intact (freezers, etc.) to be subject to special disposal rules. In these cases, the person who is the final handler of the appliance (i.e., scrap metal dealer) is responsible for ensuring that the refrigerant gases have been recovered.
The process used to recover the refrigerant gases varies depending on the type of appliance. Usually, a special metal recovery tank with a vacuum hose is used to remove the gases from the appliance. When full, the tank is taken to a centralized collection point and eventually transported to a reclaimer who processes the used refrigerant to near-virgin quality. Ninety-five percent of the gases are separated, reblended and used as reclaimed refrigerant. The other five percent is water and oil.
Because the law is new and major portions of the rules have not been adopted, many waste haulers and scrap metal recyclers are hesitant to accept appliances with refrigerants. Those who do accept the appliances are likely to charge a fee for removing the refrigerant (usually $15-$60). Businesses that do not have reclaiming equipment are likely to accept these appliances only with certification that the gases have been properly removed. Individuals who try to circumvent the law by venting the gases without proper equipment and training are themselves liable for the $25,000 fine.
In the long run, recapturing refrigerant gases should help prevent increased destruction of the earth's ozone layer. As rules for the program are developed, disposal of appliances with refrigerant gases should become much easier. Until that happens, citizens should contact their local waste hauler, recycler or appliance store for information on disposal programs in their area. For more information on the Clean Air Act, contact the Stratospheric Ozone Protection Bureau of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 1-800-2961996.
Some areas of the country have implemented a "Second Refrigerator Pickup" program designed to remove old, less energy-efficient second refrigerators or freezers. Many of these programs are free-of-charge, however, the new law is causing some cities to rethink this policy. Contact your local utility to see if such a program is available.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868