SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/epa-dispose-small-appliance-no-cert

Does a person who only disposes of small appliances need Section 608 certification?

No, but the refrigerant still has to be recovered.

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  1. Yes, Type I
  2. No, disposal alone does not require it ✔
  3. Yes, Universal

Why: EPA's rule says persons who dispose of small appliances, car air conditioners and similar units are not required to be certified. The refrigerant must still be recovered, and the final processor must make sure that happened.

Huh, didn't know that: Servicing or repairing a small appliance, such as attaching gauges, does require Type I or higher certification.

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There's not really any training for garbagemen. They just pick things up as they go.
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References

Answer: No, disposal alone does not require it. EPA's rule says persons who dispose of small appliances, car air conditioners and similar units are not required to be certified. The refrigerant must still be recovered, and the final processor must make sure that happened.

  1. 40 CFR 82.161 Technician certification (Cornell LII) www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/40/82.161
    Persons who dispose of small appliances , MVACs , and MVAC-like appliances are not required to be certified.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. 40 CFR 82.161 Technician certification (Cornell LII) www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/40/82.161
    Persons who maintain, service, or repair small appliances must be certified as Type I technicians.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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Trades & ShopA scrap yard uses a signed statement to show a junked fridge's refrigerant was recovered. What must the statement include?Trades & ShopWhich Section 608 certification covers small appliances, high-pressure and low-pressure equipment?Trades & ShopHow long can someone work as a registered apprentice before they need their own Section 608 certification?

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