Policy

All departments at the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Medicine Center involved in the purchasing and handling of refrigerants for use in an appliance (refrigerant-containing equipment), shall adhere to the requirements stated in this policy. 

In accordance with Title VI of the Clean Air Act, Section 608, the EPA has established regulations in 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F and 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart C regarding the maintenance, servicing, repair, disposal, and installation of refrigerants. The applicable regulations are also summarized in the campus’s Title V Clean Air Act Permit. 

Additionally, equipment containing refrigerant shall be installed and maintained per the City of Chicago Municipal Code, Chapter 18, Section 28.

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Authority and Responsibility

Environmental Health and Safety (“EHS”) shall be responsible for the following:

  • Coordinating with the third-party environmental consultant (currently Mostardi Platt) who manages the University of Chicago Title V Compliance Program, and submits reports and notifications to the US EPA and Illinois EPA (“IEPA”), as required by 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F and 40 CFR Part 84, Subpart C;
  • Assisting Facilities Services and Physical Plant in selecting an environmental consultant to manage the University of Chicago’s Title V compliance program;
  • Maintaining an inventory of all refrigerant appliances containing 15 pounds (lbs..) or more of refrigerant at the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Medical Center;
  • Auditing digital records of all refrigerant maintenance, servicing, repair, disposal, and installation; and 
  • Providing guidance to Facilities Services, Physical Plant, and the Medical Center to ensure compliance with this Policy.

Facilities Services and Physical Plant Supervisors (“Engineering Shop Supervisors”) shall be responsible for the following:

  • Maintaining an inventory of all refrigerant-containing equipment/appliances containing 15 lbs. or more of refrigerant in the building that they manage and updating EHS regarding any changes;
  • Ensuring that staff and refrigerant vendors complete the Refrigerant Maintenance Form after all refrigerant handling and prior to disposal; 
  • Ensuring the proper use of all refrigerants by Certified Technicians;
  • Ensuring reclamation equipment adheres to the regulations and is properly maintained;
  • Ensuring any work completed by a third-party vendor is included in the on-going leak rate calculations;
  • Notifying Mostardi Platt and EHS if a leak rate exceeds regulatory thresholds;
  • Notifying Mostardi Platt and EHS if a major modification is planned or made to an appliance: any maintenance, service, or repair that involves the removal of any or all of the following appliance components;
    • Compressor
    • Condenser
    • Evaporator
    • Auxiliary Heat Exchange Coil
    • Or any maintenance, service, or repair that involves uncovering an opening of more than four (4) square inches of “flow area” for more than 15 minutes.
  • Procuring refrigerant as needed;
  • Ensuring at least two building engineers maintain a Type IV Universal Technician Certification; and
  • Adding the required preventative maintenance tasks to new pieces of equipment containing refrigerant. 

Certified Technicians at Facilities Services and Physical Plants Engineers shall be responsible for the following: 

  • Completing the Refrigerant Maintenance Form after all refrigerant servicing and before disposal;
  • Maintaining digital records of all refrigerant maintenance, servicing, repair, disposal, and installation;
  • Conducting leak rate calculations on appliances with 15 lbs. or more of refrigerant;
  • Tracking when units are replaced, renovated, or the refrigerant type changes in Maximo;
  • Informing their supervisor if a leak repair may exceed the 30-day limit or the deadline specified in the Retrofit or Retirement Plan for corrective action;
  • Maintaining a Type IV Universal Technician Certification;
  • Following all policies and procedures for the safe use and handling of refrigerants; and
  • Staying up to date on changes in refrigerant processes.

Project Managers shall be responsible for the following: 

  • Submitting a Refrigerant Registration or Modification Form to EHS for any new or modified equipment;
  • Ensuring only contractors who are Type IV Universal Certified Technicians will work on appliances; and
  • Ensuring contractors provide all records required by this policy to EHS.

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Prohibited Activities

All University of Chicago employees are prohibited from:

  • Working on appliances unless they are Type IV Universal Certified Technicians;
  • Knowingly venting refrigerants into the atmosphere while servicing, repairing, or disposing of appliances (except for those refrigerants specifically exempted by 40 CFR 82.154(a)(1));
  • Servicing motor vehicles and motor vehicle-like air conditioners;
  • Selling used or unused refrigerant; and
  • Using refrigerant recovery and/or recycling equipment manufactured or imported prior to 1994.

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Technician Certification

The Clean Air Act requires that technicians responsible for the purchasing, maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of refrigerant equipment be certified. The University requires that at least two building engineers must receive and maintain an EPA Type IV Universal Certification. Hard copies of certifications from an EPA-approved certifying organization shall be maintained and be made readily available for inspection.  

According to Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, a technician is an individual who performs any of the following:  

  • Attaching and detaching hoses and gauges to and from an appliance to measure pressure within the appliance.  
  • Adding refrigerant to or removing refrigerant from an appliance.  
  • Any other activity that violates the integrity of a motor vehicle air conditioner (MVAC)-like appliance or small appliance (other than disposal).  

Apprentices (as defined here) may perform maintenance, service, repair, or recovery of a refrigerant as long as they are doing so under close supervision of a certified technician.

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Purchasing of Refrigerants

Only University of Chicago employees who are Certified Technicians are authorized to purchase refrigerants that are Class I or Class II Controlled Substances (see Refrigerant Use and Handling Purchasing Guidance for further information). 

The Technician’s certificate number will be required to purchase refrigerants. Refrigerants must be purchased from Vendors approved by Facilities Services Procurement.

Note: Physical Plant and Medical Center engineers must follow their facility-specific procurement practices to properly order and track refrigerant usage.

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Refrigerant Inventory Storage

Refrigerants ordered by Facilities Services certified technicians shall be delivered to Central Inventory located at the Facilities Services Building. 

  •  Refrigerant cylinders shall be stored in a secure location and shall not be stored on below-grade floors; and
  • Oxygen monitors shall be installed where leaks from appliances or containers of refrigerant can cause an oxygen-deficient atmosphere.

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Recordkeeping

Appliance Inventory

Facilities Services, Physical Plant, and the Medical Center shall maintain an inventory of all refrigerant appliances containing 15 or more pounds of refrigerant by size. For each appliance, the inventory identifies the following information:

  • Location of unit (building and room number);
  • Refrigerant type (e.g., R-22, R-134a, etc.);
  • Full charge of the appliance and the method for how it was determined (see Refrigerant Use and Handling Recordkeeping Guidance for further information);
  • Range for the full charge, midpoint, and how the range was determined if using an established range determine the full charge
  • Any revisions of the full charge, how they were determined, and the dates of revisions for refrigerants greater than 5 lbs.; and
  • Use (comfort cooling, process, industrial, other) of refrigerants greater than 5 lbs. 

Refrigerant Servicing and Disposal Records 

The University of Chicago shall maintain the records listed in Refrigerant Use and Handling Recordkeeping Guidance for a minimum of 5 years. 

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Disposal of Appliances

Refrigerant must be recovered by a Certified Technician prior to disposal of all appliances. 

Disposal of Small Appliances (< 5 lbs of refrigerant)

A small appliance is any appliance that is fully manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory with five (5) pounds or less of refrigerant. Please see the Small Appliance Disposal Guidance for examples of small appliances. 

The Certified Technician will recover the refrigerant to the following conditions prior to the disposal of a small appliance: 

  • 90% refrigerant recovery if the compressor in the appliance is functioning; 
  • 80% refrigerant recovery if the compressor is the appliance is not functioning; or 
  • Evacuate the small appliance to four inches of mercury vacuum.

After recovering the refrigerant, the Certified Technician shall complete and affix Small Appliance Disposal Record to the appliance. 

Refrigerant recovered from small appliances can be either:

  • Reused in another appliance using the same refrigerant, provided the refrigerant is in good condition; or
  • Disposed as hazardous waste in accordance with the Hazardous Waste Disposal Procedures policy.  

Appliances with more than 5lbs and less than 50 lbs of Refrigerant Disposal 

Prior to disposal of appliances with a full charge of more than 5 pounds and less than 50 pounds of refrigerant, a certified technician must recover refrigerants to the levels specified in 40 CFR 82.156 Table 1.

For each disposed appliance with a full charge of more than 5 pounds but less 50 pounds, the following information must be documented in the Refrigerant Maintenance Form: 

  • The company name of the Certified Technician performing the refrigerant recovery; 
  • Location of the appliance;
  • Date of refrigerant recovery;
  • Type and amount of refrigerant recovered from the appliance; and 
  • Disposition of the recovered refrigerant (e.g. recycled or reused, disposed, etc.). 

Appliances with 50 lbs or more of Refrigerant Disposal

Prior to disposal of appliances with a full charge of 50 pounds or more of refrigerant, a certified technician must recover refrigerants to the levels specified in 40 CFR 82.156 Table 1.

Evacuation Levels

Before the opening and disposal of appliances, technicians must evacuate the refrigerant, including all the liquid refrigerant, to the levels outlined in the Table listed in 40 CFR 82.156  *except for small appliances*  

If the levels in the Table cannot be reached or the situation does not apply, refer to 40 CFR 82.156.

There are exceptions to evacuation requirements for the following conditions:  

  • Repairs to a leaking refrigerant - if a leak is preventing the appliance from being recovered to the levels listed in the Tables above, or would substantially contaminate the refrigerant, the Certified Technician shall: 
    • Isolate leaking from non-leaking components wherever possible;  
    • Evacuate non-leaking components to be opened or disposed of to the levels specified in the Table above; and
    • Evacuate leaking components to be opened or disposed of to the lowest level that can be attained without substantially contaminating the refrigerant. This level may not exceed 0 psig.
  • Minor Repairs and No Evacuation - if the Certified Technician is not evacuating the equipment after a repair and the repair is not major, the Certified Technician shall: 
    • For high or very high-pressure appliances, the equipment must be evacuated to 0 psig before it is opened. 
    • For low-pressure appliances, the equipment must be pressurized to 0 psig before it is opened. Methods that require subsequent purging (e.g., nitrogen) cannot be used except with appliances containing R-113. 

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Refrigerant Recovery and/or Recycling Equipment

Labeling

Refrigerant recovery and/or recycling equipment used during the maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of appliances must contain the following label:

[THIS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY (APPROVED EQUIPMENT TESTING ORGANIZATION) TO MEET EPA’s MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR RECYCLING OR RECOVERY EQUIPMENT INTENDED FOR USE WITH (APPROPRIATE CATEGORY OF APPLIANCE)]

The label shall also display the date of manufacture and the equipment’s serial number (if applicable). The label must be placed in a readily visible or accessible location and be made of a material expected to last the lifetime of the equipment. 

Certified Technicians must operate and maintain the refrigerant recovery and/or recycling equipment in accordance with the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations. 

Equipment Certification 

When working on appliances manufactured before November 15th, 1993, Certified Technicians shall only use recovery equipment that is certified according to EPA standards. To ensure recovery equipment is certified, all recovery equipment shall have a label that states:  

“This equipment has been certified by AHRI/UL to meet EPA's minimum requirements for recycling and/or recovery equipment intended for use with [appropriate category of appliance].” 

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Maintenance and Leak Repairs

Appliances with 50 lbs or more of Refrigerant

Certified Technicians must evacuate air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment to established vacuum levels when opening the equipment for maintenance, service, repair, or disposal. 

For appliances with a full charge of 50 pounds or more of refrigerants that are Class I or Class II controlled substances, Contractors and University Certified Technicians must:

  • Maintain service records each time an appliance is maintained, serviced, repaired, or disposed of; 
  • Record leak calculations whenever a refrigerant is added to an appliance; 
  • Immediately notify engineering shop supervisors if the leak rate exceeds the threshold; 
  • Conduct leak investigations; 
  • Repair leaks and conduct follow-up verification testing (See Refrigerant Leak Flow Chart for reference); 
  • Notify engineering shop supervisors if leaks cannot be repaired within 30 days of discovery or by the extended deadline; and 
  • Notify engineering shop supervisors if appliance retrofit or retirement plans cannot be completed by the deadline specified to the EPA. 

If the appliance is leaking at a rate at which the loss of refrigerant will exceed 30% of the total charge during a 12-month period, repairs must bring the annual leak rate to below 30%. 

All the records listed above shall be submitted in the Refrigerant Maintenance Form. 

The engineering shop supervisor must immediately notify EHS and Mostardi Platt when: 

  • An appliance is found to have a leak rate greater than 10%; 
  • Contractor starts and completes leak investigations; 
  • Leak is repaired; 
  • Contractor determines the leak cannot be repaired within 30 days of initial discovery; 
  • Appliance retrofit or retirement plans have been completed; 
  • Contractor determines the retrofit or retirement plan cannot be completed by the deadline specified to the EPA; 
  • The results of the leak repair verification test and leak inspection results are available; or 
  • The engineering shop decides to “mothball” the appliance. 

Mostardi Platt will submit the following to the EPA:

  • Request for an extension of time to repair the leak if it cannot be completed within 30 days of discovery;
  • Retrofit or retirement plans if the leak will be addressed by retrofitting or retiring the appliance;
  • Request for extensions if repairs cannot be completed by the deadline specified in the retrofit or retirement plan;
  • Request for relief from the retrofit or retirement plan; or
  • Reports of chronically leaking appliances that leak 125% or more of the full charge in a calendar year.

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Reclamation

Recovered refrigerant may be returned to the same system or other systems owned by the University of Chicago. However, if recovered refrigerant ownership changes, it must be reclaimed by an EPA-certified refrigerant reclaimer. 

Reviewed: July 2026

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