Arkansas HVACR NewsMagazine November 2018

S tate, National, Chapter News State national Chapter News

• It would be illegal to vent substitute refrigerants, but there would be no requirement to recover them. • Educators having just revised their curriculum, would have to do so again. • Wholesalers would have to prepare their customers and update their point of sales software to comply. • Publishers would have to revise their textbooks and supplemental materials. • Certification programs would need to revise the training materials and exams. According to Obrzut, “It has taken two years to prepare the workforce to comply with the 2016 regulations. Another change now would require a massive effort to retrain everyone. The HVACR industry collaborated with the EPA for two years, to modernize the Section 608 Refrigerant Management Program. While no regulation is perfect, this regulation has always been good for business and the environment, and we should voice our opinions to keep it that way. You can view the ruling and comment here . However, to be heard, you must submit your comment no later than November 15, 2018. (This article was taken from articles by Howard Weiss and Jaon Obrzut of ESCO Institute, the country’s leading provider of 608 education and testing and curriculum for HVACR programs.)

EPA May Open Substitute Refrigerant Door

The EPA has submitted a ruling affecting everyone in the HVACR industry. This will revise the refrigerant management requirements. One of the changes is to rescind the refrigerant management requirements of substitute refrigerants. These requirements include a sales restriction for substitute refrigerants. So what does this mean? According to Jason Obrzut of the ESCO Group, • Substitute refrigerants and equipment could be sold by anyone, including big box or online retailers. • Anyone could purchase refrigerants and work on their own systems. What will this do to warranty costs, and brand perception? • The HVACR industry would have different regulations for different refrigerants, confusing for all.

Need your EPA 608 Refrigeration Certification? The Association can provide ESCO EPA approved testing prior to Chapter meetings. Call 501-487-8655 for details.