Sources and verification

The purpose of the subarticle is to reduce emissions of high global warming potential refrigerants from stationary, non-residential refrigeration equipment and from the installation and servicing of stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning appliances using high-GWP refrigerants.

The programme reaches stationary, non-residential refrigeration systems that require more than 50 pounds of any combination of high-GWP refrigerant, high-GWP meaning a global warming potential of 150 or more. Air-conditioning appliances are outside the definition of refrigeration system, and residential dwellings of four or fewer units are excluded.

The owner or operator registers each covered facility with the Executive Officer. Systems of 2,000 pounds or more operating before 2012 by March 1, 2012; 200 to 1,999 pounds before 2014 by March 1, 2014; more than 50 and under 200 pounds before 2016 by March 1, 2016; a new system by March 1 of the calendar year after it begins operating; a new owner by March 1 of the year after the change.

A facility with a system of 200 pounds or more pays an implementation fee: $370 for a system of 2,000 pounds or more, $170 for 200 to 1,999 pounds, due with registration and then by March 1 of each calendar year.

Systems of 2,000 pounds or more are inspected monthly with a leak detection device, a bubble test or observation of oil residue, unless an automatic leak detection system covers them; 200 to 1,999 pounds once every three months; 50 to 199 pounds annually.

An automatic leak detection system must accurately detect 10 parts per million and alert the operator at 100 parts per million, or alert the operator at a loss of 50 pounds or 10 percent of the full charge, whichever is less.

A refrigerant leak must be repaired by a certified technician within 14 days of its detection. Forty-five days where a certified technician or the parts are unavailable with documentation, or an industrial process shutdown is required; 120 days for industrial process refrigeration at a facility under mandatory emissions reporting when the repair requires a shutdown.

An initial verification test on completion of the repair, and a follow-up verification test on the complete system at normal operating conditions. If the tests show the leak continues, the repair is attempted again within 45 days or a retrofit or retirement plan is prepared within 60 days; after a 45-day repair, a plan within 60 days; after a 120-day repair, a plan within 135 days.

The owner or operator of a leaking system that is not repaired in time prepares a retrofit or retirement plan and keeps it at the site with the system's information.

A facility with a system of 200 pounds or more reports each year by March 1 for the previous calendar year: the system information, the service and leak repair information (dates detected and repaired, cause, verification tests, refrigerant charged, the technician), and refrigerant purchased, charged, recovered, stored and shipped for reclamation or destruction. A facility with only 50 to 199 pound systems reports within 60 days of a request.

Registration information, leak detection records, service and repair records with the documentation for any longer repair period, retrofit or retirement plans, reports, exemption records, refrigerant purchase invoices, reclamation and destruction shipment records, and the full-charge calculation are kept at least five years at the facility and made available on request.

The refrigerant management programme applies to facilities with a refrigeration or air conditioning system with a full charge of 50 pounds or more that uses a refrigerant with a global warming potential of 150 or more.

Systems of 1,500 pounds or more operating before 2024 register by March 15, 2024; 200 to 1,499 pounds before 2026 by March 15, 2026; 50 to 199 pounds before 2028 by March 15, 2028; a system starting after those dates by the March 15 following; a new owner by the March 15 following the change; a new facility within three months of operating.

Year-round systems of 1,500 pounds or more are inspected monthly from January 1, 2024; 200 to under 1,500 pounds quarterly from January 1, 2026; 50 to under 200 pounds annually from January 1, 2028; a system not run year-round within 30 days of startup and quarterly after. An automatic leak detection system that detects 10 parts per million and alerts at 100, or alerts at a loss of 50 pounds or 10 percent of the charge, replaces the schedule; an alert is followed by an inspection within 24 hours.

The leak rate is calculated at each leak inspection and each time refrigerant is added, by the 12-month rolling average method. The thresholds are 16 percent for retail food refrigeration and cold storage, 24 percent for industrial process refrigeration and 8 percent for air conditioning. Ecology is notified within 30 days of determining an exceedance, and verification test results within 30 days of the repair deadline and of completion.

A refrigerant leak must be repaired by a certified technician within 14 calendar days of its detection; 45 days where a certified technician or the parts are unavailable or an industrial process shutdown is required; 120 days for industrial process refrigeration at an entity under greenhouse gas reporting. A verification test on completion of any repair, and a follow-up test within 14 days of normal operating conditions if the system was evacuated. If the leak continues, a retrofit or retirement plan or a further repair within double the original time (28, 90 or 240 days).

A facility with a system of 200 pounds or more using a refrigerant with a GWP of 150 or more reports by March 15 for the previous calendar year, phased in from March 15, 2025 for systems of 1,500 pounds or more and March 15, 2027 for 200 to 1,500 pounds: the system information, the annual leak rate with inspection, detection and repair dates, and refrigerant purchased, charged, recovered, stored and shipped.

Registration information, leak detection and inspection records, service and repair records, retrofit or retirement plans, reports, exemption applications, refrigerant purchase invoices and reclamation or destruction shipment records are kept at least five years at the facility where the system operates.

The refrigerant management subpart applies to the owner or operator of commercial stationary refrigeration or air conditioning equipment with a refrigerant charge capacity of 50 pounds or more of a regulated substance, and to supermarket chains as the Part defines them.

Equipment of 1,500 pounds or more installed before June 1, 2025 registers by that date; 200 to 1,499 pounds by June 1, 2026; 50 to 199 pounds by June 1, 2028; new equipment by June 1 of the calendar year after it is installed. Registration carries the facility and equipment details and a label on the equipment.

Refrigeration equipment of 1,500 pounds or more is inspected monthly, replaced by an automatic leak detection system on or before June 1, 2025; air conditioning of 1,500 pounds or more monthly or by an automatic system; 200 to 1,499 pounds quarterly or by an automatic system; 50 to 199 pounds annually or by an automatic system. Inspections use a calibrated device with 10 parts per million sensitivity; an automatic system alerts at 100 parts per million.

A leak must be repaired by a certified technician within 14 days of its detection; 45 days where a certified technician or the parts are unavailable with written documentation or an industrial process shutdown is required; up to 120 days for industrial process refrigeration when manufacturing must stop. An initial verification test follows completion of the repair (the section sets 30 days; 120 for industrial process refrigeration) and a follow-up test within 10 days of normal operating conditions. A leak that continues means another repair within the same period or a retrofit or retirement plan under 494-2.5.

An annual report for the previous calendar year, large equipment first by March 31, 2026 and medium equipment by March 31, 2027: the equipment information, the service and leak repair information with leak rates and inspection, detection and repair dates, regulated substance purchases and use, and updated registration information.

Registration information, leak inspections with the dates and locations of leaks found, service and repair records naming the person who did the work, retrofit or retirement plans, reports, variance decisions, purchase invoices and reclamation or destruction shipment records are kept five years at the facility and provided within 90 days of a request.