Do you have used or expired R-22 refrigerant that you need to have removed in compliance with EPA standards? Before you make a decision on whether or not you should enlist the services of a refrigerant recovery company, it might be worth going over what R-22 refrigerant is and why there is a pressing need to collect and recover them.
First, what is a refrigerant?
Refrigerants are any substances (usually in liquid or gas form) that are used inside heat pumps for the refrigeration cycle. Anything that requires heating or cooling through an HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) unit will need a refrigerant to run.
Refrigerants work by going through different phase transitions, such as turning from liquid into gas. This transformation provides the HVAC units the thermodynamics it needs to perform its functions.
Chlorofluorocarbons, among which is R-22, became so mainstream in the 20th century. However, they became known not for their effective heating and cooling properties but for the degradation they caused to the earth’s ozone layer.
What is R-22?
R-22 is a colorless gas that also goes by the name of chlorodifluoromethane. Its most common name is Freon. Its use as a propellant and refrigerant has been banned by the EPA because of its high ODP or ozone depletion potential, and GWP or global warming potential. In short, R-22 refrigerants are a widely known environmental hazard.
R-22 usually comes in light green-colored cylinders and they have been phased out in the United States under the Montreal Protocol in 1987. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty with a focus on phasing out any chemical or substance that is proven to be harmful to the ozone layer. It was first brought up in September 16, 1987 and it was finalized for implementation beginning on January 1, 1989.
According to the Montreal Protocol:
“Recognizing that worldwide emissions of certain substances can significantly deplete and otherwise modify the ozone layer in a manner that is likely to result in adverse effects on human health and the environment. Determined to protect the ozone layer by taking precautionary measures to control equitably total global emissions of substances that deplete it with the ultimate objective of their elimination on the basis of developments in scientific knowledge [..] acknowledging that special provision is required to meet the needs of developing countries.”
The worldwide phase-out of R-22 began in 1991 and the target completion of the depletion is set for the year 2020.
Why should R-22 be recovered?
R-22 is categorized as a highly hazardous greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of 1,810—meaning it is 1,810 times more powerful and destructive than carbon dioxide.
Since 2010, the manufacturing of new R-22 has been prohibited. Only recycled and reused R-22 may be used to service HVAC units such as refrigerators and air conditioners. This new practice is called “recovery,” wherein all traces of the gas are sucked out from the machines and are replaced with a safer alternative, instead of pumping new R-22 into the units.
Last year, in January 1, 2015, it was declared illegal and punishable by law to service refrigerators and air conditioning units that still used R-22 refrigerant. Broken equipment that needed servicing were required to be replaced with units that did not need to run using R-22.
How do I get rid of my R-22?
Take a quick survey of your company’s HVAC units and make a quick note of which ones use R-22 refrigerant. Once you know this, you can contact a certified R-22 recovery team to take care of sucking out all the old and unusable R-22 from your units. The same specialized team should also replace your refrigerant with a safer alternative.
If you are looking for a professional R-22 recovery team contact Refrigerant Services LLC today by dialing 844-PURECFC / 787-3232 today. You can also schedule a pick up right from our website!
