Recovery, recycling and reclamation
Three words that are not synonyms.
Why this one catches people
The largest single cluster of questions in the bank, and the three terms are used loosely in the field but defined precisely in the regulation. Exam questions turn on the distinction.
35 questions in our bank map to this material, across 11 outline topics and 4 exam sections (Core (Group I): 8, Type I: Small Appliances: 13, Type II: High-Pressure Systems: 6, Type III: Low-Pressure Systems: 8).
The distinction the exam tests
The three words describe three different levels of processing, and the regulation defines each one. The practical consequence is who is allowed to use the refrigerant afterwards.
| Term | What happens | Where | Who can use it after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recover | Remove refrigerant from an appliance and store it. No cleaning. | On the job | Nobody yet; it is just contained |
| Recycle | Clean it for reuse: oil separation and filtration to reduce contaminants. | On site, with the equipment you carry | The same owner, back in their own equipment |
| Reclaim | Reprocess to virgin specification and verify it chemically. | A reclamation facility | Anyone; this is the only route to resale to a new owner |
The one-line version worth carrying into the exam: recovered means captured, recycled means cleaned enough to go back where it came from, and reclaimed means restored to purity and verified, which is the only condition in which it can change hands.
Definitions at 40 CFR 82.152.
Where people go wrong
- Using "recycled" and "reclaimed" interchangeably. Only reclaimed refrigerant can be sold on to a different owner.
- Thinking recovery implies any cleaning. Recovery is removal and storage, nothing more.
- Forgetting that recycling happens on site with the equipment you carry, while reclamation happens at a processing facility.
Drill exactly this
35 questions in the bank cover this material. Anything you miss goes to your notebook so you can come back to it.
15 questions · 18 minutes · pass at 70%
Questions are sampled to mirror the official domain weighting. The timer starts when you begin; you can flag questions and return to them before submitting.
The other guides
- Evacuation levels: the table everyone loses marks on
- Leak rates and repair deadlines: three percentages, one weight, two clocks
- Recovery equipment and certification: why 15 november 1993 keeps appearing
- Safety, cylinders and handling: the practical half of the exam
- Ozone science and the regulatory timeline: the "why" material, and the dates