Recovery, Recycling, and Reclamation
Recovering refrigerant correctly is the daily heart of Section 608 compliance. This chapter defines the three levels of refrigerant processing, explains the AHRI 700 reclamation standard, and details the equipment, cylinders, fill limits, and records that safe, legal recovery requires across all appliance types.
Recover, Recycle, and Reclaim Defined
These three terms describe increasing levels of processing and are among the most tested facts on the exam. Recovery means removing refrigerant from an appliance and storing it in an external container, with no cleaning or testing. Recycling means cleaning recovered refrigerant for on-site or local reuse by reducing oil, moisture, and acidity, usually with an oil separator and one or more passes through filter-driers; it does not verify purity by chemical analysis. Reclamation means reprocessing refrigerant to the purity of new product, verified by chemical analysis against the AHRI 700 standard, and it can only be performed by an EPA-certified reclaimer. In general, refrigerant that changes ownership must be reclaimed before resale, while refrigerant that stays with the same owner may be recycled and reused.
The AHRI 700 Standard and Reclamation
AHRI Standard 700, formerly ARI 700, is the industry specification that defines the purity a refrigerant must meet to be sold as reclaimed, equivalent to new product. It sets limits on moisture, acidity, non-condensable gases, particulates, high-boiling residue, and other contaminants, and reclaimed refrigerant must be chemically analyzed to prove it meets the standard. Only an EPA-certified reclaimer is allowed to reclaim refrigerant to AHRI 700 and resell it. This matters because as virgin CFC and HCFC production has ended, reclaimed refrigerant is often the only legal supply for servicing older equipment. A technician who recovers refrigerant for eventual resale should keep it clean and uncontaminated so it can be reclaimed, since mixing refrigerants can make a batch impossible to reclaim.
Recovery Equipment and Certification
Recovery and recycling equipment manufactured on or after November 15, 1993 must be certified by an EPA-approved testing organization, such as UL or ETL, to meet EPA performance standards. Equipment comes in two forms. Self-contained (active) equipment has its own compressor and can pull refrigerant out of an appliance without help, which makes it suitable for any appliance type. System-dependent (passive) equipment has no pump and relies on the appliance's own compressor or pressure to move refrigerant, so it may be used only on small appliances. When you buy certified recovery equipment, you must certify to EPA that you have acquired it. Match the equipment to the job: a self-contained machine for high- and low-pressure systems, and passive equipment only for the small sealed units it is designed for.
Recovery Cylinders and Fill Limits
Recovered refrigerant must be stored only in a DOT-approved refillable recovery cylinder, commonly a DOT-4BA or 4BW, and never in a disposable one-trip cylinder, which is illegal and dangerous to refill. Recovery cylinders are identified by a gray body with a yellow top or shoulder so they are not confused with virgin refrigerant containers. Before use, confirm the cylinder is within its five-year hydrostatic test date and is evacuated of any different refrigerant. Never fill a cylinder beyond 80 percent of its capacity by weight; the remaining 20 percent of headspace lets the liquid expand as temperature rises. Overfilling is extremely dangerous because a full cylinder that warms up can become hydraulically full of liquid and rupture. Always weigh the cylinder with a scale rather than trusting pressure or feel.
Avoiding Cross-Contamination and Recordkeeping
Before recovering, identify the refrigerant with a refrigerant identifier so you do not pull an unknown or mixed charge into clean equipment or a partly filled cylinder. Never mix different refrigerants in one recovery cylinder, because a mixed batch usually cannot be recycled or reclaimed and must be destroyed at cost. Use a dedicated cylinder for each refrigerant and evacuate recovery equipment before switching refrigerants. Recordkeeping is part of compliance: technicians and companies must keep records showing recovery equipment is certified, and technicians should retain proof of certification. Owners of larger appliances must keep servicing and refrigerant-addition records. Good records of what refrigerant was recovered, from what equipment, and into which cylinder protect you during an EPA inspection and help ensure the refrigerant can be reclaimed later.
Last updated: July 2026