EPA 609 approved refrigerant handling equipment
This page covers what makes refrigerant handling equipment approved for MVAC and MVAC-like appliance service under 40 CFR 82.36, with the related definitions and prohibitions in 82.32 and 82.34. Each point quotes the rule and links to it.
The short answer
Refrigerant recycling equipment must be certified by EPA or by an independent standards testing organization approved by EPA under 82.38 to meet the standard that 82.36(a) sets for its refrigerant and function. Equipment that has not been certified is considered approved if it is substantially identical to the applicable certified equipment and was initially purchased before the date 82.36(b)(1) sets for its type. EPA maintains a list of approved equipment by manufacturer and model.
Each part of this answer is quoted from the rule below.
Why approved equipment matters
No person repairing or servicing MVACs for consideration, and no person repairing or servicing MVAC-like appliances, may perform service involving the refrigerant without properly using equipment approved under 82.36.
“No person repairing or servicing MVACs for consideration, and no person repairing or servicing MVAC-like appliances, may perform any service involving the refrigerant for such MVAC or MVAC-like appliance: (1) Without properly using equipment approved pursuant to § 82.36;”
Approved refrigerant recycling equipment is equipment certified by EPA (the Administrator) or by an organization approved under 82.38 as meeting a standard in 82.36. It extracts and recycles refrigerant, or extracts it for recycling on-site or reclamation off-site.
“Approved refrigerant recycling equipment means equipment certified by the Administrator or an organization approved under § 82.38 as meeting either one of the standards in § 82.36. Such equipment extracts and recycles refrigerant or extracts refrigerant for recycling on-site or reclamation off-site.”
Properly using the equipment includes operating it according to the manufacturer's guide to operation and maintenance, and using it only for the controlled substance it is designed for.
“In addition, this term includes operating the equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's guide to operation and maintenance and using the equipment only for the controlled substance for which the machine is designed.”
Refrigerant handling equipment made or imported for servicing MVACs for consideration cannot be introduced into interstate commerce unless it meets 82.36.
“Refrigerant handling equipment manufactured or imported for use during the maintenance, service or repair of MVACs for consideration cannot be introduced into interstate commerce unless meeting the requirements of § 82.36.”
Anyone opening MVAC-like appliances must have at least one piece of approved recovery or recycling equipment available at their place of business.
“All persons opening (as that term is defined in § 82.152) MVAC-like appliances must have at least one piece of approved recovery or recycling equipment available at their place of business.”
The standard for each kind of equipment
Refrigerant recycling equipment must be certified by EPA, or by an independent standards testing organization approved by EPA under 82.38, to meet the applicable standard listed in 82.36(a).
“Refrigerant recycling equipment must be certified by the Administrator or an independent standards testing organization approved by the Administrator under § 82.38 to meet the following standard:”
CFC-12, recover and recycle: Appendix A.
“Equipment that recovers and recycles CFC-12 refrigerant must meet the standards set forth in appendix A of this subpart”
CFC-12, recover only (no recycling): Appendix B.
“Equipment that recovers but does not recycle CFC-12 refrigerant must meet the standards set forth in appendix B of this subpart”
HFC-134a, recover and recycle, or recover, recycle and recharge: Appendix C (based on SAE J2788), effective January 1, 2008.
“Effective January 1, 2008, equipment that recovers and recycles HFC-134a refrigerant and equipment that recovers and recycles HFC-134a refrigerant and recharges systems with HFC-134a refrigerant must meet the standards set forth in Appendix C of this subpart based upon J2788”
HFC-134a, recover only: Appendix D (based on SAE J2810), effective October 31, 2008.
“Effective October 31, 2008, equipment that recovers but does not recycle HFC-134a refrigerant must meet the standards set forth in Appendix D of this subpart based upon J2810”
CFC-12 and HFC-134a recovered and recycled with common circuitry: Appendix E.
“Equipment that recovers and recycles both CFC-12 and HFC-134a using common circuitry must meet the standards set forth in appendix E of this subpart”
Recover-only equipment for refrigerants other than CFC-12, HFC-134a and HFO-1234yf: Appendix F.
“Equipment that recovers but does not recycle refrigerants other than CFC-12, HFC-134a, and HFO-1234yf must meet the standards set forth in appendix F of this subpart”
HFO-1234yf, recover and recycle from MVACs and recharge MVAC systems: SAE J2843, incorporated by reference.
“Equipment that recovers and recycles HFO-1234yf refrigerant from MVACs and recharges MVAC systems with HFO-1234yf refrigerant must meet the standards set forth in SAE J2843 (incorporated by reference, see § 82.31).”
Recover only (no recycling) for contaminated HFC-134a and/or HFO-1234yf from MVACs: SAE J2851, incorporated by reference.
“Equipment that recovers but does not recycle contaminated HFC-134a and/or HFO-1234yf refrigerant from MVACs must meet the standards set forth in SAE J2851 (incorporated by reference, see § 82.31).”
Recover, recycle and recharge both HFO-1234yf and R-134a from MVACs: SAE J3030, incorporated by reference.
“Equipment that recovers, recycles, and recharges both HFO-1234yf and R-134a from MVACs must meet the standards set forth in SAE J3030 (incorporated by reference, see § 82.31).”
Not covered here
We do not set out the technical contents of SAE J2843, J2851 and J3030, because they are incorporated by reference and their text is not printed in Subpart B. We only write what an official source states, so study these parts with your certifying program's materials.
Older (grandfathered) equipment
Refrigerant recycling equipment not certified under 82.36(a) is considered approved if it is substantially identical to the applicable certified equipment and meets the purchase-date condition for its type.
“Refrigerant recycling equipment that has not been certified under paragraph (a) of this section shall be considered approved if it is substantially identical to the applicable equipment certified under paragraph (a) of this section, and:”
For uncertified equipment to be considered approved this way, CFC-12 recover-and-recycle equipment must have been initially purchased before September 4, 1991, and CFC-12 recover-only equipment before April 22, 1992.
“For equipment that recovers and recycles CFC-12 refrigerant, it was initially purchased before September 4, 1991; (ii) For equipment that recovers but does not recycle CFC-12 refrigerant, it was initially purchased before April 22, 1992;”
For the same route to approval, HFC-134a recover-and-recycle and HFC-134a recover-only equipment must have been initially purchased before March 6, 1996.
“For equipment that recovers and recycles HFC-134a refrigerant, it was initially purchased before March 6, 1996; (iv) For equipment that recovers but does not recycle HFC-134a refrigerant, it was initially purchased before March 6, 1996;”
For the same route to approval, recover-only equipment for any single, specific refrigerant other than CFC-12 or HFC-134a, and equipment that recovers and recycles HFC-134a and CFC-12 with common circuitry, must also have been initially purchased before March 6, 1996.
“For equipment that recovers but does not recycle any single, specific refrigerant other than CFC-12 or HFC-134a, it was initially purchased before March 6, 1996; and (vi) For equipment that recovers and recycles HFC-134a and CFC-12 refrigerant using common circuitry, it was initially purchased before March 6, 1996.”
Equipment manufacturers or owners may ask EPA to decide whether equipment is substantially identical by submitting an application and supporting documents.
“Equipment manufacturers or owners may request a determination by the Administrator by submitting an application and supporting documents that indicate that the equipment is substantially identical to approved equipment”
When approval as substantially identical is sought, EPA's authorized representatives may inspect the equipment and ask for samples of refrigerant extracted and/or recycled with it. Equipment that fails to meet the appropriate standards will not be considered approved.
“Authorized representatives of the Administrator may inspect equipment for which approval is being sought and request samples of refrigerant that has been extracted and/or recycled using the equipment. Equipment that fails to meet appropriate standards will not be considered approved.”
CFC-12 recovery or recovery-and-recycling equipment that is neither certified nor approved as substantially identical is considered approved for MVAC-like appliances if it was made or imported before November 15, 1993 and can reduce system pressure to 102 mm of mercury vacuum under Appendix A conditions.
“Refrigerant recycling equipment that recovers or recovers and recycles CFC-12 refrigerant and has not been certified under paragraph (a) or approved under paragraphs(b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section shall be considered approved for use with an MVAC-like appliance if it was manufactured or imported before November 15, 1993, and is capable of reducing the system pressure to 102 mm of mercury vacuum under the conditions set forth in appendix A of this subpart.”
EPA's list of approved equipment
EPA maintains a list of approved equipment by manufacturer and model; anyone wanting a copy sends a written inquiry to the address given in 82.36(b).
“The Administrator will maintain a list of approved equipment by manufacturer and model. Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the list should send written inquiries to the address in paragraph (b) of this section.”
Sources
- eCFR: 40 CFR 82.34, Prohibitions and required practices (as of Nov 3, 2026)Checked November 5, 2026
- eCFR: 40 CFR 82.32, Definitions (as of Nov 3, 2026)Checked November 5, 2026
- eCFR: 40 CFR 82.36, Approved refrigerant handling equipment (as of Nov 3, 2026)Checked November 5, 2026