Parking AC circular economy and end-of-life — refrigerant recovery and recycling

• Table of Contents

1. Refrigerant recovery — EPA Section 608 and EU F-Gas
2. LiFePO4 battery bank recycling
3. Compressor and housing refurbishment vs recycling
4. Documentation for ESG reporting

Fleet ESG programmes increasingly require end-of-life management for retired equipment — refrigerant recovery, battery recycling and component reuse. Parking AC end-of-life is straightforward when planned properly: recover refrigerant under EPA Section 608, recycle LiFePO4 batteries through licensed processors, and either refurbish the housing/compressor or send to authorised recycler. This page covers the proper end-of-life procedure.

Refrigerant recovery — EPA Section 608 and EU F-Gas

EPA Section 608 (US) and EU F-Gas (EU) require certified technicians to recover refrigerant before disposal. Typical recovery cost USD 60–120 per unit. Recovered refrigerant is reclaimed and reused in new equipment, contributing to circular HFC management.

LiFePO4 battery bank recycling

LiFePO4 batteries are recycled through licensed processors recovering lithium, iron and phosphate for new battery manufacture. Recycling cost typically USD 80–200 per 200 Ah bank (offset partially by recovered material credit). Recycling rate for LiFePO4 is increasing as global processing capacity scales.

Compressor and housing refurbishment vs recycling

Compressors and housing aluminium have meaningful resale value. Authorised refurbishers strip end-of-life units, rebuild compressors and resell as warrantied refurbished spares. Recommended path for fleet buyers managing large-scale retrofit programmes.

Documentation for ESG reporting

Maintain documented chain of custody from retirement through recycling/refurbishment. Record refrigerant recovery certificate, battery recycling certificate and refurbishment partner reports. This documentation supports CDP, SBTi and customer Scope 3 supplier programme reporting.

Frequently asked questions

Who handles refrigerant recovery at end-of-life?

EPA Section 608 certified technicians (US) or EU F-Gas certified technicians (EU). Vethy distribution partners can coordinate recovery as part of retrofit or retirement programmes.

Are LiFePO4 batteries recyclable?

Yes. Licensed processors recover lithium, iron and phosphate for new battery manufacture. Recycling rate is increasing as global processing capacity scales.

Can end-of-life compressors be refurbished?

Yes. Authorised refurbishers rebuild compressors and resell as warrantied refurbished spares. This is the highest-value end-of-life path for compressor components.