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Free EPA Section 608 Technician Certification practice questions

Tap an answer to see if you are right, and why. 20 questions across 8 topics, mostly Environmental impacts (4).

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Questions last updated October 19, 2026 · Original questions written from the EPA Section 608 Test Topics (epa.gov, checked 2026-10-19) and 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F; not official EPA or provider questions.

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  1. Environmental impacts1 of 20

    Chlorine atoms released in the stratosphere are the primary reason CFC refrigerants damage the ozone layer. What happens when ultraviolet radiation breaks down a CFC molecule?

    The answer

    Answer: B. In the stratosphere, strong UV light breaks CFC molecules apart and releases chlorine atoms. Each chlorine atom can catalytically destroy many ozone molecules before it leaves the stratosphere, which is why small CFC concentrations have an outsized effect on ozone. HFCs contain no chlorine, so their ozone-depletion potential is zero.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Environmental Impacts — destruction of ozone by chlorine

  2. Environmental impacts2 of 20

    A technician compares four refrigerants. Which statement correctly ranks ozone-depletion potential (ODP)?

    The answer

    Answer: A. CFCs contain chlorine and have the highest ODP; CFC-11 and CFC-12 are about 1.0. HCFCs also contain chlorine but deplete ozone far less, with ODPs from about 0.01 to 0.1. HFCs contain no chlorine at all, so their ODP is zero. This ranking drives which refrigerants are phased out first.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Environmental Impacts — CFCs have higher ODP than HCFCs, which have higher ODP than HFCs

  3. Environmental impacts3 of 20

    Which pairing correctly identifies a refrigerant's chemical family?

    The answer

    Answer: B. R-22 (HCFC-22) contains hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, and carbon, making it an HCFC. R-12 is a CFC, and R-134a is an HFC that contains no chlorine. Recognizing the family matters because CFCs and HCFCs are ozone-depleting and are regulated differently from HFCs.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Environmental Impacts — identification of CFC, HCFC, and HFC refrigerants (R-12 is a CFC, R-22 is an HCFC, R-134 is an HFC)

  4. Environmental impacts4 of 20

    Why is ozone depletion in the stratosphere a health concern even though ozone near the ground is a pollutant?

    The answer

    Answer: C. The stratospheric ozone layer acts as Earth's sunscreen by absorbing most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Less stratospheric ozone means more UV reaches the surface, which increases skin cancer, cataracts, and harm to crops and marine life. Ground-level ozone is a separate respiratory pollutant and does not provide this shielding.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Environmental Impacts — health and environmental effects of stratospheric ozone depletion

  5. Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol5 of 20

    Why is the Montreal Protocol important to refrigeration technicians?

    The answer

    Answer: C. The Montreal Protocol is the international treaty governing protection of the stratospheric ozone layer. Its amendments control the phaseout of ozone-depleting substance production and use, which is why CFCs and HCFCs have been phased out of new equipment. EPA implements these obligations in the United States under Title VI of the Clean Air Act.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol — Montreal Protocol (international agreement to phase out production of ozone-depleting substances)

  6. Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol6 of 20

    The venting prohibition under Section 608 applies to which refrigerants?

    The answer

    Answer: A. EPA's National Recycling and Emission Reduction Program prohibits knowingly venting ozone-depleting substances and their non-exempt substitutes while maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of equipment. A limited list of substitutes is exempt, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water. The prohibition covers both Class I and Class II refrigerants.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol — venting prohibition at servicing and disposal, including substitute refrigerants; 40 CFR 82.154(a)

  7. Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol7 of 20

    Production of CFC refrigerants for new equipment in the United States ended at the close of which year?

    The answer

    Answer: A. The United States stopped producing CFCs at the end of 1995, so CFC-11 and CFC-12 were phased out well before HCFCs. R-22, an HCFC, has had no new production or import after 2019. Recovered and reclaimed refrigerant is still used to service existing equipment, but new production of these chemicals has ended.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol — CFC phaseout date; Clean Air Act Title VI

  8. Section 608 regulations8 of 20

    Which equipment does the Section 608 rule cover?

    The answer

    Answer: D. The rule applies broadly to appliances that contain ozone-depleting refrigerants, including small appliances, chillers, and commercial refrigeration, but motor vehicle air conditioners are handled under a separate program (Subpart B). Appliances containing non-exempt substitute refrigerants are also covered for venting and servicing requirements.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Section 608 Regulations — equipment covered by the rule (all air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment containing CFCs or HCFCs except MVACs)

  9. Section 608 regulations9 of 20

    A supplier sells a cylinder of refrigerant. Under the sales restriction, what must the buyer generally show?

    The answer

    Answer: B. The sales restriction limits who may buy refrigerant consisting of a Class I or Class II substance, or a non-exempt substitute, for use as a refrigerant. The buyer must be certified as a Type I, II, III, or Universal technician, or employ a certified technician and provide proof. Sellers keep invoices documenting the buyer, date, and quantity.

    Source: 40 CFR 82.154(c) — Prohibitions: sales restriction; EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Section 608 Regulations

  10. Section 608 regulations10 of 20

    Reclaimed refrigerant sold for use in a different owner's equipment must meet which standard?

    The answer

    Answer: B. Reclaiming means reprocessing recovered refrigerant to all applicable specifications in AHRI Standard 700-2016 and verifying purity with the prescribed analytical methods. Recycled refrigerant, by contrast, is only cleaned for reuse in equipment owned by the same person. Only properly certified reclaimers may sell used refrigerant to a new owner.

    Source: 40 CFR 82.164 — Reclaimer certification; EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Section 608 Regulations (AHRI Standard 700-2016)

  11. Substitute refrigerants and oils11 of 20

    Why is R-134a not considered a drop-in replacement for R-12?

    The answer

    Answer: A. There are no true drop-in replacements. R-134a works with polyolester (ester) lubricants and is not compatible with the mineral oil commonly used with CFCs. A retrofit may also require changing driers, seals, and other components, so a technician cannot simply charge R-134a into an R-12 system without modification.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Substitute Refrigerants and oils — absence of drop-in replacements; esters with R-134, alkylbenzenes for HCFCs

  12. Substitute refrigerants and oils12 of 20

    A blended refrigerant leaks from a system over time. What is fractionation?

    The answer

    Answer: D. Zeotropic blends contain components with different boiling points, so they can leak at different rates. A leaking system may lose the more volatile component faster, and the remaining refrigerant no longer has the original composition. For this reason, liquid must be charged carefully and recovered blend refrigerant may not match its original specification.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Substitute Refrigerants and oils — fractionation problem (components of blends leak at different rates)

  13. Refrigeration13 of 20

    In a basic vapor-compression cycle, where does the refrigerant change from liquid to vapor while absorbing heat?

    The answer

    Answer: B. The evaporator is where low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the space being cooled and boils into vapor. The condenser rejects that heat and turns the vapor back into liquid, and the compressor raises the vapor's pressure and temperature. Cooling occurs in the evaporator, not the condenser.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Refrigeration — refrigerant states and pressures at different points; how and when cooling occurs

  14. Refrigeration14 of 20

    A gauge manifold reads 75 psig on the low side. What is the absolute pressure in psia?

    The answer

    Answer: D. Gauge pressure is measured relative to atmospheric pressure. To convert psig to psia, add atmospheric pressure of about 14.7 psi. Therefore 75 psig + 14.7 = 89.7 psia. Pressure-temperature charts and saturation calculations can require absolute pressure, so making this conversion correctly matters.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Refrigeration — refrigeration gauges and proper use; Type 2: Refrigeration (add 14.7 to translate psig to psia)

  15. Refrigeration15 of 20

    Which condition indicates that noncondensable gas has collected in a system?

    The answer

    Answer: D. Noncondensables such as air do not condense at normal condenser temperatures, so they raise head pressure above the refrigerant's saturation pressure for that temperature. Comparing a measured pressure with the pressure-temperature chart for the actual liquid temperature is a standard way to detect them. They are removed with a purge unit or by recovering the charge.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Refrigeration — refrigerant states and pressures; pressure-temperature relationships

  16. Refrigeration16 of 20

    In a vapor-compression system, which component rejects heat and changes high-pressure vapor back into liquid?

    The answer

    Answer: B. The condenser receives high-pressure vapor from the compressor and rejects heat to the air or water, so the refrigerant condenses into a liquid. The evaporator does the opposite: it absorbs heat and boils liquid into vapor. An accumulator protects the compressor from liquid, and the expansion device drops the pressure.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Refrigeration — refrigerant states and pressures at different points of the refrigeration cycle

  17. Recover, recycle, reclaim17 of 20

    What is the difference between recovering and recycling refrigerant?

    The answer

    Answer: C. Recover means removing refrigerant in any condition and storing it in an external container without necessarily testing or processing it. Recycle means extracting refrigerant and cleaning it for reuse in equipment owned by the same person without meeting full reclamation requirements. Reclaim reprocesses refrigerant to AHRI Standard 700-2016.

    Source: 40 CFR 82.152 — Definitions: recover, recycle, reclaim; EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Three R Definitions

  18. Recover, recycle, reclaim18 of 20

    Which process restores used refrigerant to the purity specifications of AHRI Standard 700-2016 so it may be sold to a new owner?

    The answer

    Answer: C. Reclamation reprocesses recovered refrigerant to all applicable AHRI Standard 700-2016 specifications and verifies the result analytically. Only certified reclaimers may reclaim used refrigerant for sale to a new owner. Recovery and recycling do not meet that standard; recycled refrigerant is used only by its current owner.

    Source: 40 CFR 82.152 and 82.164 — reclaim and reclaimer certification; EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Three R Definitions

  19. Recovery techniques19 of 20

    Why should a technician avoid mixing different refrigerants in one recovery cylinder?

    The answer

    Answer: A. Once two refrigerants are mixed in a cylinder, the blend typically cannot be reclaimed to specification and may have to be destroyed, which wastes refrigerant and creates unnecessary emissions. Technicians keep separate recovery cylinders for each refrigerant type, label them, and use dedicated hoses and equipment where practical.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Recovery Techniques — need to avoid mixing refrigerants

  20. Dehydration and evacuation20 of 20

    Why must a system be evacuated at the end of service before it is recharged?

    The answer

    Answer: D. Evacuation removes air and moisture left in the system. Moisture can freeze at the metering device and combine with refrigerant and oil to form acids that damage the compressor. Noncondensable air raises head pressure and reduces efficiency. A proper vacuum, held to confirm it does not rise, verifies the system is dry and leak-free.

    Source: EPA Section 608 Test Topics — Core: Dehydration Evacuation — need to evacuate system to eliminate air and moisture at the end of service

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