Junk Vehicle Refrigerant Handling, 1.3

Junk Vehicle Refrigerant Handling, 1.3

Junk Vehicle Refrigerant Handling, 1.3

Those involved in the buying of junk cars, such as scrap car buyers and those involved in junk car hauling must remain compliant in the handling and storage of the automobile’s air conditioning units. According to www.ecarcenter.org: “In the 1970’s, atmospheric chemists discovered something unexpected about the refrigerants used in air conditioners. In the stratosphere, ultraviolet (UV) radiation breaks the refrigerant chemicals (including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), down into products that can react with ozone. It turns out that they have a devastating effect on the ozone layer. A small amount of ozone-depleting refrigerant has the potential to destroy a large amount of ozone through a chain reaction. Stratospheric ozone depletion allows harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun to reach the earth’s surface, which increases the risk of skin cancer and cataracts from increased UV exposure.”

An auto scrap yard must insure they are taking necessary precautions. When the selling of scrap cars occurs in Ohio, those responsible for junk car hauling assume the responsibility for management of these refrigerants. Scrap car buyers must determine if Freon, R-12 and R-134a are used within their auto scrap yard inventory. Often junk car hauling can accidentally cause the release of these refrigerants. When dealing in the buying of junk cars and selling of scrap cars, an Ohio auto scrap yard must be aware and avoid release of these chemicals in the junk car hauling process.

The two key points to address when buying of junk cars occurs are:

  1. Recovery: The scrap cars buyers can remove the refrigerant from AC units and store in approved containers.
  2. Reclaiming: handling refrigerant, typically by distillation, until all impurities are removed and meets virgin specifications.

We recommend that those involved with selling of scrap cars visit the EPA information page of the topic: Clean Air Act – Title VI – Ozone Protection http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/title6.html

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