What Is EPA Section 608?
EPA Section 608 of the Clean Air Act governs the handling, recovery, and disposal of ozone-depleting substance (ODS) refrigerants used in stationary refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. Originally enacted in 1990, Section 608 establishes the legal framework every HVAC technician must follow when working with refrigerants such as R-22, R-12, R-502, and other Class I and Class II substances.
For solo technicians, compliance is not optional. The EPA can levy fines of up to $44,539 per day per violation. Non-compliance can also result in loss of your EPA certification, criminal penalties, and reputational damage a one-person operation cannot absorb.
Who Does Section 608 Apply To?
Section 608 applies to any person who maintains, services, repairs, or disposes of appliances containing ODS refrigerants. There are no exemptions based on business size. A one-truck operation faces the same obligations as a 500-employee contractor.
The regulation covers stationary refrigeration (walk-in coolers, reach-in units, ice machines), stationary air conditioning (split systems, rooftop units, chillers), and commercial and industrial process cooling. Motor vehicle air conditioning falls under Section 609 and is not covered here.
Certification Requirements
You must hold a valid EPA Section 608 Technician Certification before purchasing or handling ODS refrigerants. There are four types:
- Type I – Small appliances containing less than 5 pounds of refrigerant (household refrigerators, window AC units, vending machines).
- Type II – High-pressure equipment with charges of 5 pounds or more (residential splits, rooftop packages, most commercial AC).
- Type III – Low-pressure equipment such as centrifugal chillers using R-11 or R-123.
- Universal – Covers all appliance types. For solo technicians servicing varied equipment, Universal is the practical choice.
Your certification does not expire under current rules, but you are responsible for staying current with regulatory changes.
Leak Rate Thresholds by Appliance Type
Section 608 establishes maximum allowable annual leak rates for equipment containing 50 or more pounds of ODS refrigerant. Exceeding the threshold triggers mandatory repair.
| Appliance Type | Leak Rate Threshold | Charge Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Refrigeration | 20% | 50 lbs |
| Comfort Cooling (AC, heat pumps) | 15% | 50 lbs |
| Industrial Process Refrigeration | 30% | 50 lbs |
These thresholds apply on an annualized basis. A system that lost 10% of its charge in six months has an annualized leak rate of approximately 20%.
The 50-Pound Charge Threshold
Leak repair requirements only kick in for appliances with 50 pounds or more of ODS refrigerant. Smaller systems still require proper handling and recovery, but formal leak rate tracking, repair deadlines, and verification testing do not apply. This means you need to know the full charge of every system you service – if you add refrigerant to a 50+ pound system and the calculated rate exceeds the threshold, compliance obligations trigger immediately.
Repair Deadlines
Once a leak rate exceedance is identified, Section 608 defines specific repair windows:
- Commercial refrigeration and comfort cooling: 30 calendar days from the exceedance determination.
- Industrial process refrigeration: 120 calendar days, reflecting the complexity of industrial systems.
If you cannot meet the deadline, you may apply for a repair extension with documented justification. Extensions are not automatic.
Verification Testing
After completing a leak repair:
- An initial verification test must be performed at the time of repair completion.
- A follow-up verification test must be performed within 30 days to confirm the leak has not recurred.
If the follow-up shows the system still exceeds the threshold, you must perform additional repairs or develop a retrofit or retirement plan.
Record-Keeping Requirements
Records must be maintained for a minimum of 3 years. This is one of the most frequently cited areas of non-compliance for solo technicians. The EPA expects records that include:
- Date of service and technician identification
- Amount of refrigerant added to each appliance
- Full charge of the appliance (measured, calculated, or from nameplate)
- Leak rate calculations for systems at or above 50 pounds
- Leak repair actions, including dates, description, and parts used
- Verification test results (initial and follow-up)
- Refrigerant recovery records, including amounts and disposition
- Retrofit or retirement plans for non-compliant systems
Paper logbooks work but are vulnerable to loss and disorganization. Digital record-keeping solutions that automatically calculate leak rates and store timestamped records are increasingly the standard for audit readiness.
The R-22 Phase-Out in 2026
R-22 production and import was fully phased out on January 1, 2020. In 2026, R-22 is available only from reclaimed or recycled stocks at rising prices. Key implications:
- R-22 is still legal to use in existing equipment – there is no mandate to retrofit or replace working R-22 systems.
- Recovery is mandatory to required evacuation levels before opening a system.
- Venting is illegal and carries severe penalties.
- Reclaimed R-22 must meet AHRI 700 purity standards before reuse.
How FieldPad Helps Solo Technicians Stay Compliant
Managing Section 608 compliance solo means you are the technician, record-keeper, compliance officer, and business owner all at once. FieldPad was designed for this reality:
- Automatic leak rate calculations using both Method 1 and Method 2 formulas.
- Threshold monitoring that flags exceedances immediately against the correct Section 608 threshold.
- Repair deadline tracking with reminders as the 30-day or 120-day window approaches.
- Verification test scheduling with alerts when follow-ups are due.
- 3-year record retention with full digital audit trails.
- Offline-first design so you can log compliance data on-site regardless of cell coverage, with automatic sync when connectivity returns.
Key Takeaways
- Section 608 applies to every technician who handles ODS refrigerants, regardless of business size.
- Universal certification is the most practical choice for solo technicians servicing varied equipment.
- Leak rate thresholds are 20% for commercial, 15% for comfort cooling, and 30% for industrial – all for systems with 50+ pounds of charge.
- Repairs must be completed within 30 days (120 days for industrial), followed by initial and 30-day follow-up verification tests.
- Records must be retained for at least 3 years, covering all refrigerant additions, calculations, repairs, and verification tests.
- R-22 is still legal to use but increasingly expensive and only available from reclaimed stock.
- Digital tools like FieldPad automate the calculations, deadlines, and record-keeping that make Section 608 compliance manageable for a solo operation.
Sources & Regulatory References
- EPA Section 608 — Stationary Refrigeration and Air Conditioning — EPA’s official Section 608 regulatory page
- 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F — Full text of Section 608 regulations in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Section 608 Technician Certification — EPA certification types and requirements
- AHRI Standard 700 — Specifications for refrigerant purity
