Поправки к Закону о чистом воздухе 1990 года запустили эру строгого контроля за хладагентами в индустрии HVACR

1990: The Compliance Era Begins The Clean Air Act Amendments reshaped the HVACR industry Few pieces of legislation have had as direct and lasting an impact on the HVACR industry as the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990. The ACHR NEWS covered the rollout and aftermath extensively, both in its print publication and in several bestselling books that offered a deeper look at the new requirements for the HVACR industry. The original Clean Air Act — passed in 1970 — established a federal framework for reducing air pollution from stationary and mobile sources. It was expanded in 1977, but the 1990 amendments marked a turning point for HVACR. Driven by growing concern over the depletion of the ozone layer, the amendments aligned closely with the Montreal Protocol, the international agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as CFC and HCFC refrigerants. The U.S. formally ratified the Montreal Protocol in 1988. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush ordered a U.S. phaseout of CFC production by the end of 1995 — four years earlier than the original international schedule. The accelerated deadline caused concern across the HVACR industry, and our readers weren’t shy about expressing their skepticism. One contractor responded to an ACHR NEWS survey by stating, “The CFC issue is a hoax. Only the customers are getting the shaft.” Ultimately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was tasked with developing regulations to reduce refrigerant emissions during service, maintenance, repair, and disposal. There is no question that the 1990s marked a fundamental change in how refrigerants were handled, recovered, and regulated. Mandatory Certification For the HVACR industry, the 1990 CAA provisions were codified primarily in Section 608 and included: - Prohibition on venting refrigerants; - Mandatory refrigerant recovery and recycling; - Technician certification; - Restrictions on refrigerant sales; - Leak repair requirements (for larger systems); - Recordkeeping and reporting; - Refrigerant reclamation standards; - Proper refrigerant disposal requirements; and - Use of approved equipment and processes. One of the more contentious provisions was the introduction of mandatory certification, which required technicians who purchased and handled regulated refrigerants to pass an EPA-approved exam. The requirement applied to technicians who maintained, serviced, repaired, or disposed of HVACR equipment, sweeping in much of the existing workforce. For contractors, the concern wasn’t just the test itself, but whether technicians who had already completed other industry certification programs would receive credit for that training. Experienced technicians who had worked with refrigerants for years also faced the prospect of having to pass a federal exam — or risk losing the ability to legally purchase refrigerant and perform service work. Looking for quick answers on air conditioning, heating and refrigeration topics? Try Ask ACHR NEWS, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ACHR NEWS Industry trade associations weighed in on the issue, with some urging EPA not to grandfather technicians who had already completed certification courses, while others opposed that position. In the end, EPA set two key deadlines for technician certification. After November 14, 1994, only certified technicians could purchase CFC or HCFC refrigerants. Technicians certified through certain voluntary EPA-approved programs had until May 15, 1995, to have that certification grandfathered or pass an EPA-approved test. EPA ultimately grandfathered 15 voluntary certification programs. The EPA established four types of certification. Type I certification covered small appliances such as window a/c units; Type II applied to high-pressure systems such as residential and light commercial HVAC equipment; and Type III addressed low-pressure chillers. A Universal certification combined all three. While certification is standard today, at the time, it was a major change for the industry. Venting And Leaking Equally consequential was the prohibition on venting refrigerants. Prior to the 1990 amendments, releasing refrigerant during service was common practice. By 1992, EPA required HVAC technicians to stop venting CFC and HCFC refrigerants, so contractors had to invest in recovery machines, dedicated recovery cylinders, and leak detection tools. The rules also extended to refrigerant disposal, requiring that refrigerants be recovered before appliances were scrapped. As usual, readers of The ACHR NEWS had some thoughts about the issue. In the publication’s 1992 annual contractor survey, one respondent warned that the “CFC issue” would cause “many small businesses to go by the wayside.” Another contractor complained about the “increase in the time to service equipment that needs CFC removal, and the attitude of the customer toward the increase in his costs. It’s not going over very well.” Enforcement also arrived quickly, with roughly 400 reports of venting violations submitted to EPA regional offices after the 1992 rule took effect. Before the end of the year, a New England contractor was fined $18,101 for venting an HCFC refrigerant (roughly $43,000 in today’s dollars). The recovery requirement was closely tied to the broader phaseout schedule for CFCs and HCFCs. U.S. production and import of most CFC refrigerants, including R-12, ended Jan. 1, 1996, while the much longer HCFC schedule ultimately ended U.S. production and import of virgin R-22 in 2020. As supply tightened, refrigerant costs rose, reinforcing the economic incentive to recover and reuse existing refrigerants. Section 608 also introduced recordkeeping and leak repair provisions, primarily for commercial and industrial systems containing more than 50 pounds of refrigerant. Owners and operators of these large HVAC systems were required to repair leaks within specified timeframes if annual leak rates exceeded EPA limits. In retrospect, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 did more than introduce a set of compliance requirements. They marked the beginning of an ongoing cycle of refrigerant transition and regulatory evolution that continues today. Looking for a reprint of this article? From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!