Recovering From a R-22 System Being Decommissioned
A landlord is replacing an old split system that contains 6.5 kg of R-22 (an HCFC, ODP 0.055, GWP 1810). The system has been running but is now isolated and switched off. The landlord wants the old unit removed quickly so the new one can go in the same day. The recovery cylinder on your van is labelled R-410A and is about one-third full. You have a recovery machine rated for HCFCs and HFCs, and a set of manifold gauges. The landlord asks whether the R-22 can simply be vented since 'it's being scrapped anyway' and whether it can go into the cylinder you already have.
1. Can the R-22 be vented, and can it be recovered into the R-410A cylinder? Justify both answers.
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Venting: no. R-22 is an HCFC with an ODP of 0.055. Releasing it to atmosphere is prohibited - controlled substances must be recovered, not vented, regardless of the fact that the equipment is being scrapped. The 'it's being scrapped' argument is not a lawful basis for venting.
Cylinder: no. The cylinder is labelled for R-410A. Recovering R-22 into it would:
- Contaminate the R-410A already in the cylinder, making both unrecoverable as a usable refrigerant;
- Breach the requirement to keep refrigerants segregated by type;
- Risk a pressure/temperature mismatch - R-410A is a high-pressure blend and mixing with R-22 creates an unlabelled, unidentifiable mixture.
Correct approach: use a dedicated, correctly labelled recovery cylinder suitable for R-22, evacuate the system with the HCFC-rated recovery machine, and record the quantity recovered. The recovered R-22 must go to a proper take-back/destruction route, not be reused in equipment it was not intended for.
2. The recovery cylinder you will use has a capacity of 12 kg and currently holds nothing. What fill limit applies, and what environmental point should you make to the landlord about the R-22?
Read the worked answer
Fill limit: recovery cylinders must not be filled above 80% of their capacity by weight (to allow for liquid expansion). For a 12 kg cylinder that is a maximum of 9.6 kg. The system holds 6.5 kg, so it fits comfortably - but you should still weigh the cylinder before and after and record the recovered mass.
Environmental point for the landlord:
- R-22 has ODP 0.055, so a release damages the ozone layer as well as contributing to climate change.
- Its GWP of 1810 means 6.5 kg represents about 11,765 kg CO2e if released - a significant impact from one small system.
- Proper recovery and destruction prevents both ozone depletion and greenhouse gas emissions, and is a legal requirement, not an optional courtesy.
This frames the recovery as protecting the landlord from liability as well as protecting the environment.