Appliance Disposal

This section addresses the operating procedures, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements applicable to University staff, contractors, and vendors.  The University must only employ the services of contractors or vendors that adhere to the regulatory requirements of 40 CFR 82, Subpart F and this program.  The quantity of appliance refrigerant and type of refrigerant determines the level of applicable requirements.

Appliance categories are:

• Small appliances capacity equal to or less than 5 pounds and is fully manufactured, charged, and hermetically sealed in a factory.
• Mid-sized appliances capacity greater than 5 pounds but less than or equal to 50 pound per circuit.
• Large appliances capacity greater than 50 pounds per circuit.
• Motor Vehicle or Motor-like Vehicle Air Conditions (MVAC, MVAC-like).

Refrigerant types are:

• Ozone-depleting substance – Class I chlorofluorocarbons, referred to as CFCs
• Ozone-depleting substance – Class II hydrochlorofluorocarbons, referred to as HCFCs
• Substitute or Non-Exempt Substitute substance – Replaces an ozone-depleting substance

Small Appliance ≤ 5 pounds refrigerant

Disposal Completed By:

• In-House Main Campus Staff
• In-House University Staff located beyond Main Campus
  • Never dispose of an appliance with any quantity of refrigerant intact.  Send appliance to Surplus Property Services (link) where it will be sold or forwarded to Waste, Recycling & Trucking Services (link), as appropriate. The University has a disposal contract requiring the final processor to remove refrigerant before disposal.  If a contractor agreement includes disposal of appliance, it is the responsibility of the contractor to have measures in place for appliance disposal.
  • If recovering/recycling refrigerant in-house before disposal, certified equipment must be used and recovered to the percentage or vacuum level required in regulation.  Use of a certified technician is not required.
• Contractor or Vendors at any University owned location   
  • Follow UK HVAC Design Standard.  If a contractor agreement includes disposal of appliance, it is the responsibility of the contractor to have measures in place for appliance disposal.

Mid-sized and Large Appliance > 5 pounds refrigerant (per circuit)

Disposal Completed By:

• In-House Main Campus Staff (PPD, MCPPD, Athletics) with Access to SAP
• In-House Main Campus Department or Independent Staff not disposed by PPD, MCPPD, or Athletics* 

• In-House University Staff located beyond Main Campus* 

  If not evacuating refrigerant:

  • Never dispose of an appliance with any quantity of refrigerant intact.  Send appliance to Surplus Property Services (link) where it will be sold or forwarded to Waste, Recycling & Trucking Services (link), as appropriate.  The University has a disposal contract requiring the final processor to remove refrigerant before disposal.  If a contractor agreement includes disposal of appliance, it is the responsibility of the contractor to have measures in place for appliance disposal.
  • Add a disposal date to Refrigerant Characteristics in SAP* or
  • Complete equipment number, location, and disposal date on form AQ-FORM-401, Section II and submit to Environmental Management, Air Quality Compliance

  If evacuating refrigerant:

  * Not an available option

  • Certified recovery/recycling equipment must be used and recovered to the percentage or vacuum level required in regulation.
  • Use of a certified technician is required.
  • System-dependent equipment may not be used with appliances with a full charge of more than 15 pounds of refrigerant, unless the system-dependent equipment is permanently attached to the appliance as a pump-out unit.
  • Appliances that contain pump-out units are exempt from the requirement to use certified, self-contained recovery and/or recycling equipment.
  • Complete Refrigerant Characteristics in SAP* or
  • Complete form AQ-FORM-401, Section II (Mid-Sized) or Section III (Large) and submit to Environmental Management, Air Quality Compliance
• Contractor or Vendors at any University owned location
  • Follow UK HVAC Design Standard and submit form AQ-FORM-401, Section I (Mid-Sized) or Section III (Large) to Environmental Management, Air Quality Compliance. An equivalent company form may be substituted for AQ-FORM-401.

The Requirements at a Glance is used as a quick summary but does not replace the need to review the RMP or the specific operating procedures, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements for appliance disposal.

To address the complexities of the operating procedures of 40 CFR 82, standardized procedures, work instructions and forms were developed for appliance disposal requirements to provide operational and administrative consistency and effectiveness.  The procedure provides a specified way to carry out an activity or task whereas the work instruction provides step-by-step instructions to be followed to complete a procedure.  The form standardizes consistent documentation of required regulation elements.

The purpose of tracking appliance disposal is to demonstrate compliance with 40 CFR 82.155, Safe disposal of appliances; 40 CFR 82.156, Proper evacuation of refrigerant from appliances; and 40 CFR 82.157, Appliance maintenance and leak repair.  To meet those requirements, specific information must be maintained for any size appliance disposal.   

Maintain record of signed statement or contract with the final processor of a small appliances containing conditions that the final processor will evacuate refrigerant and use recovery equipment that meets §82.155.  A copy of the statement or contract for small appliances is maintained by the Facility Services, Recycling Program.

Records of appliance disposals which contain more than 5 pounds of refrigerant must be kept for three years after appliance is disposed/retired.  The required data collection for disposal is contained on disposal form.  The type of data recorded is dependent on the refrigerant full charge capacity (§82.156, §82.157).  Appliance disposals must be entered in SAP (where available on Lexington campus) or submitted to the Air Quality Compliance Manager for submittal into a refrigerant system to maintain disposal/inventory records.  Records are maintained by Environmental Management, Air Quality Compliance. 

The University must use recovery and/or recycling equipment that meets certification requirements of §82.158.  No person may alter the design of certified refrigerant recovery and/or recycling equipment in a way that would affect the equipment's ability to meet the certification standards of §82.158 without resubmitting the altered design for certification testing.

The University must only use in-house technicians, contractors, or vendors that have current and appropriate EPA technician certification.