Canadian Refrigerant Recovery Help

Hey all!


So whenever I'm out scrapping I always see tons of refrigerators, AC units, and freezers, but even though some of them have large amounts of copper piping on them, I never take them because I don't want to deal with the CORRECT refrigerant disposal process. That being said, given how I'm not working right now, I have considered purchasing a refrigerant recovery machine and the associated hardware in order to properly reclaim/recover refrigerant from these appliances. My only concern is that even after awhile of research, I am struggling to find a clear cut definition for the legality of refrigerant recovery in Canada (Alberta). Do I need an ODP card and have a diploma in HVAC repair? Or do I just need an ODP card and the proper equipment? I just wanted to be 100% sure before I go out and spend $1000 dollars on equipment!




Mr. Warwickshire

At least in the US you do need a certain hvac/epa certificate to be able to legally remove refrigerants. I dont mess with them.... they arent worth the hassle or the legal risks.

Yeah from what I've read, in the US it is a EPA 608 certification. I found it much more clear and concise on what was required for recovery in the US than in Canada. So I'm still unsure.

If anyone here in Canada has any experience with this I would greatly appreciate it! *Edit* Just noticed the legal topics section, I figure I'll post this over there.

Before you get too deep into it :

Why don't you scrap out a few fridges first to see what's involved. You might / might not like the work. Maybe run the numbers with time invested, money invested, and value of materials recovered ?

Buying a refrigerant recovery system is one of the everyday, must have, tools of the trade for someone doing HVAC work. That kind of work pays pretty well so the tool investment is justified.

It might be an error in judgement to assume that it would be a justified expenditure for a scrapper. Apples & oranges really ... two completely different trades.

More to your point though:

The simplest / best answer to your question would probably come from the regulating authority in your government. Give em' a call or drop them an email. Explain your circumstance and ask for their guidance on how to do it in a way that conforms to your law. They might even have a FAQ section in their website that covers the subject.

Thanks for the input. I have contacted the government and will share any useful information to you guys here.

*UPDATE*

It seems as though legally recovering refrigerants in Canada is WAAY to regulated. From what I have gathered over the past few days is that in order to service (ie. recover or complete any work whatsoever) any sort of appliance/machine/device containing refrigerant you must have:

A) An official, authorized trade certificate (4 Years of apprenticeship requiring over 1500 hours of work and 32 weeks of technical training). Cost: $6000-$8000

B) Take and pass the Ozone Depleting Substances test, collecting an ODP certificate. Cost: $250

C) Purchase required equipment for recovery. Cost:$1000-$2000

Total cost and time to recover refrigerants in Canada: Average of $8750 or rougly $9000 dollars......
I'm not sure I want to go down this road anymore lol! Too bad it wasn't more like the states.