Clean Air Act Amendments

published a proposed rule regarding a recycling standard under section 608 of the Clean Air Act. Today’s action finalizes portions of the February 29, 1996, proposed rule and provides information concerning EPA’s intention to continue consideration of the other aspects of the proposal that are not addressed in this final rule. Today’s action amends the recordkeeping aspects of the section 608 technician certification program; refines aspects of the refrigerant sales restriction; adopts updated versions of ARI Standard 700 and ARI Standard 740, both of which are industry standards previously adopted by EPA; clarifies the distinction between major and minor service, maintenance, and repair of appliances; amends several definitions; and sets forth procedures for the revocation and/ or suspension of approval to certify technicians and refrigerant recycling and/or recycling equipment and revocation and/or suspension procedures for certification as a refrigerant reclaimer. Today’s action also provides readers with notice that three of the items discussed in the February 29, 1996, proposal will not be completed as part of today’s action (i.e., the potential adoption of a more flexible method for cleaning refrigerants where the refrigerants will be transferred between appliances with different ownership; the potential adoption of a third-party certification program for reclaimers; and the potential adoption of a third-party certification program for laboratories that verify refrigerant purity or level of contaminants). The regulatory changes promulgated through today’s action will streamline and clarify portions of the existing refrigerant recycling regulations without compromising the goals of protecting public health and the environment or compliance with the requirements of the