Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol rules for the EPA 608

Answer: B. Type I, II, or III certification

• ARefrigerant sales are restricted: ODS and non-exempt substitutes such as HFCs are sold only to certified technicians (small MVAC cans of 2 lb or less are the exception).
• BCorrect: any Section 608 technician certification, whether Type I, II, III or Universal, meets the sales restriction for buying refrigerant.
• CUniversal is not required; any one Type certification qualifies a technician to buy refrigerant.
• DThere is no 'EPA registration number' for buyers; the requirement is technician certification.

Technicians must hold at least Type I, II, or III certification (or Universal certification) to purchase refrigerants. This is mandated by Section 608 of the Clean Air Act to ensure proper handling.

Answer: C. The uncertified worker and the employer are both subject to fines

• AFollowing orders does not shield the worker; anyone who opens the system without certification is in violation.
• BWrong: Section 608's certification requirement and venting ban cover HFCs like R-410A; the sales restriction has covered them since January 1, 2018.
• CCorrect: EPA certifies individuals, not companies, so there is no blanket certification; the uncertified worker and the employer can both be fined.
• DThe apprentice exemption requires close and continual supervision by a certified technician, which an uncertified facility manager is not.

Under the Section 608 rules, a person who opens an appliance's refrigerant circuit must be certified; apprentices may work only under a certified technician's supervision. There is no blanket company certification, and both the worker and the employer can be fined.

Answer: C. The technician must have a Type II certification.

• AType I covers only factory-sealed small appliances with 5 lb or less, not an industrial system.
• BType III covers low-pressure refrigerants such as R-11 and R-123; R-134a is not low-pressure.
• CCorrect: R-134a is a medium-pressure refrigerant, and medium-, high- and very-high-pressure appliances (other than small appliances) need Type II.
• DOpening a system with R-134a is technician work and requires certification.

R-134a is a medium-pressure refrigerant, and medium- and high-pressure equipment other than small appliances and MVAC falls under Type II. Type I covers small appliances, and Type III covers low-pressure refrigerants such as R-11 and R-123.

Answer: A. MVAC systems are regulated under Section 609.

• ACorrect: motor vehicle AC is covered by Section 609, with its own technician training and certification, while small appliances fall under Section 608.
• BSection 609 certification does not cover small appliances; those need Section 608 Type I or Universal.
• CSmall appliance rules cover factory-sealed units with 5 lb or less; commercial transport refrigeration is not regulated under them.
• DRecovery equipment is certified for specific uses; MVAC work needs equipment certified for MVAC.

MVAC systems fall under EPA Section 609, not Section 608. A Type I small appliance certification does not cover MVAC systems, and the regulatory exceptions are distinct.

Answer: C. Section 608

• ASection 609 covers motor vehicle air conditioning, not stationary equipment.
• BSection 610 deals with nonessential products containing ozone-depleting substances, not stationary refrigeration service.
• CCorrect: Section 608 covers refrigerant management for stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
• DSection 607 is not the section that governs stationary refrigeration.

Section 608 of the Clean Air Act specifically addresses the handling of refrigerants in stationary refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.

Answer: B. Pass an EPA-approved test administered by an authorized organization

• ANo apprenticeship or experience is required by EPA; certification comes from passing the test.
• BCorrect: you become certified by passing a test given by an EPA-approved certifying program, which then issues your card.
• CManufacturer endorsements have nothing to do with Section 608 certification.
• DEPA does not review work samples; it approves the programs that test technicians.

To be certified under Section 608, a technician must pass an EPA-approved test administered by an authorized organization covering the specific knowledge required for the type of equipment they will service.

Answer: C. Intentional venting of refrigerants

• AKeeping refrigerant records is required in many cases, not prohibited.
• BUsing certified recovery equipment is required, not prohibited.
• CCorrect: knowingly venting refrigerant during service, repair or disposal is prohibited under Section 608.
• DAnyone may buy empty recovery cylinders; the sales restriction applies to refrigerant.

The intentional release (venting) of refrigerants during service, maintenance, repair, or disposal is specifically prohibited by Section 608 of the Clean Air Act.

Answer: A. Minimum of three years

• ACorrect: sellers of refrigerant keep invoices and sales records for at least three years, the standard Section 608 retention period.
• BFive years is longer than the Section 608 requirement.
• COne year is too short; the requirement is three years.
• DSix months is far below the three-year requirement.

Wholesalers keep refrigerant sales records for at least three years, including the purchaser's name, the date of sale and the certification information.

Answer: B. Records of the date, amount, and destination of the transferred refrigerant

• AA purity test before shipping is not required; the reclaimer analyzes the refrigerant after it arrives.
• BCorrect: keep records of how much refrigerant was sent, to whom and on what date; Section 608 records are kept three years.
• CA hazardous waste manifest is not a Section 608 recordkeeping requirement; DOT shipping papers cover transport.
• DPurchase receipts for replacement refrigerant do not document where the recovered refrigerant went.

Keep records of how much refrigerant was sent, to whom and when; Section 608 records are kept for three years. A hazardous-waste manifest and a pre-shipment purity test aren't Section 608 requirements.

Answer: B. Phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer

• ACarbon dioxide emissions are dealt with by climate agreements, not the Montreal Protocol.
• BCorrect: the Montreal Protocol is the international treaty that phases out ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs and HCFCs.
• CWater pollution is outside the Montreal Protocol's scope.
• DIt controls production of chemicals, not design standards for refrigeration equipment.

The Montreal Protocol was established to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, particularly CFCs and HCFCs, to protect the ozone layer.

Answer: C. Replacing a faulty Schrader valve core.

• ATesting external start components is electrical work that does not open the refrigerant circuit.
• BA thermostat knob is outside the sealed system.
• CCorrect: a Schrader valve core is part of the refrigerant circuit, so replacing it can release refrigerant and requires certification.
• DBrushing condenser fins is external cleaning that does not touch the refrigerant.

Replacing a Schrader valve core opens the sealed refrigerant circuit to the atmosphere, requiring certification. External maintenance like cleaning fins or checking electrical components does not.

Answer: B. Replacing a defective evaporator coil

• APainting the cabinet does not touch the refrigerant circuit.
• BCorrect: replacing an evaporator coil opens the refrigerant circuit, so it must be done by a certified technician.
• CReplacing the power cord is electrical work outside the refrigerant circuit.
• DRewiring a fan motor is electrical work that does not open the refrigerant circuit.

EPA certification is strictly required for tasks that open the refrigerant circuit, like coil replacement. External work like rewiring or painting does not breach the system.

Answer: B. Replacing a defective clamp-on external thermistor

• ACutting the suction line opens the refrigerant circuit.
• BCorrect: a clamp-on thermistor sits on the outside of the tubing, so replacing it never opens the refrigerant circuit.
• CDesoldering a filter-drier opens the refrigerant circuit.
• DEvacuating the system and repairing a coil both involve the refrigerant circuit.

The EPA defines opening a system as entering the refrigerant circuit. Routine external work, such as replacing a clamp-on thermistor, does not expose the refrigerant to the atmosphere.

Answer: D. Only Employee B

• ACrushing an appliance after the refrigerant is removed is not technician work and needs no certification.
• BOnly the person who opens the sealed system to remove refrigerant needs certification; the crusher operator does not.
• CHauling appliances does not involve the refrigerant circuit, so Employee A needs no certification.
• DCorrect: Employee B opens the sealed refrigerant circuit to remove refrigerant, which is technician work that requires certification.

EPA 608 certification is only required for personnel who perform recovery or activities that could open the refrigerant circuit. Handlers and crusher operators do not require certification.

Answer: C. Refuse it; R-410A goes only to certified techs and their employers

• AThe self-sealing valve exemption applies only to MVAC cans of 2 lb or less, not a 25-lb cylinder.
• BLimiting sales to ODS refrigerants was the rule before 2018; it now covers HFC substitutes too.
• CCorrect: since January 1, 2018 non-exempt substitutes like R-410A may be sold only to certified buyers and their employers.
• DThe sales restriction has covered non-exempt substitutes such as R-410A since 2018, regardless of ODP.

Since January 1, 2018 the sales restriction covers non-exempt substitute refrigerants such as HFCs, not just CFCs and HCFCs. The only exception is small cans of 2 lb or less with a self-sealing valve, intended for motor vehicle AC.