EPA 608 HVAC Certification Exam Prep 2026
– Real Practice Questions, Verified Answers
& Detailed Rationales | Core, Type I, II & III
Refrigerant Recovery & HVAC Systems
Review
• This material contains 200 verified practice questions with detailed EXPERT
RATIONALE covering all four sections of the EPA 608 exam — Core, Type I, Type II,
and Type III — designed to help you study efficiently and pass with confidence.
• Each question follows the exact exam format with five answer options, a clearly
highlighted correct answer, and a EXPERT RATIONALE to reinforce understanding
of the concept tested.
EPA 608 HVAC CERTIFICATION EXAM PREP 2026
Real Practice Questions | Verified Answers | Detailed EXPERT RATIONALE
Core | Type I | Type II | Type III | Refrigerant Recovery & HVAC Systems
Review
SECTION 1: CORE — ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT & REGULATIONS
1. What is the primary reason CFCs and HCFCs are regulated under the Clean
Air Act?
A. They are highly flammable
B. They are toxic to humans at low concentrations
C. They deplete the stratospheric ozone layer
D. They cause acid rain
E. They are heavier than air and accumulate indoors
C. They deplete the stratospheric ozone layer
,EXPERT RATIONALE: CFCs and HCFCs contain chlorine atoms that, when released into
the atmosphere, rise to the stratosphere and break down ozone molecules, reducing the
Earth's protection from ultraviolet radiation.
2. Which international agreement first called for the phase-out of ozone-
depleting substances?
A. The Kyoto Protocol
B. The Paris Agreement
C. The Clean Air Act
D. The Montreal Protocol
E. The Geneva Convention
D. The Montreal Protocol
EXPERT RATIONALE: The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, is the international treaty
designed to phase out the production and use of substances that deplete the ozone
layer, including CFCs and HCFCs.
3. What does the term "ozone depletion potential" (ODP) measure?
A. The flammability of a refrigerant
B. The toxicity level of a refrigerant in enclosed spaces
C. A refrigerant's relative ability to destroy stratospheric ozone compared to R-11
D. The amount of refrigerant released per year
E. The pressure at which a refrigerant vaporizes
C. A refrigerant's relative ability to destroy stratospheric ozone compared
to R-11
,EXPERT RATIONALE: ODP is a measure of how much a given substance can destroy the
ozone layer relative to R-11, which has an ODP of 1.0. R-12 has an ODP of 1.0, while
HFCs have an ODP of 0.
4. Which of the following refrigerants has zero ozone depletion potential?
A. R-11
B. R-12
C. R-22
D. R-502
E. R-410A
E. R-410A
EXPERT RATIONALE: R-410A is an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) blend. HFCs contain no
chlorine or bromine atoms, giving them an ODP of zero, though they still have a high
global warming potential.
5. Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, it is illegal to:
A. Purchase refrigerant in containers larger than 30 lbs
B. Knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmosphere
C. Use recovery equipment manufactured before 1992
D. Service appliances containing more than 50 lbs of refrigerant
E. Sell refrigerant to uncertified technicians under 21 years old
B. Knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmosphere
EXPERT RATIONALE: Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibits the knowing release of
refrigerants into the atmosphere during the maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of
appliances.
, 6. What is the global warming potential (GWP) used to measure?
A. The boiling point of a refrigerant
B. A refrigerant's contribution to atmospheric warming relative to CO₂
C. The efficiency of a refrigerant in a heat pump system
D. The pressure of a refrigerant at room temperature
E. The flammability rating of a refrigerant
B. A refrigerant's contribution to atmospheric warming relative to CO₂
EXPERT RATIONALE: GWP compares how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the
atmosphere over a specific time period, relative to carbon dioxide (CO₂), which has a
GWP of 1.
7. Which refrigerant has the highest ozone depletion potential among the
following?
A. R-134a
B. R-410A
C. R-11
D. R-407C
E. R-404A
C. R-11
EXPERT RATIONALE: R-11 (trichlorofluoromethane) is a CFC with an ODP of 1.0, which
serves as the reference standard for ODP. It has the highest ozone depletion potential
among the options listed.
8. Who enforces Section 608 refrigerant regulations?
A. The Department of Energy (DOE)
– Real Practice Questions, Verified Answers
& Detailed Rationales | Core, Type I, II & III
Refrigerant Recovery & HVAC Systems
Review
• This material contains 200 verified practice questions with detailed EXPERT
RATIONALE covering all four sections of the EPA 608 exam — Core, Type I, Type II,
and Type III — designed to help you study efficiently and pass with confidence.
• Each question follows the exact exam format with five answer options, a clearly
highlighted correct answer, and a EXPERT RATIONALE to reinforce understanding
of the concept tested.
EPA 608 HVAC CERTIFICATION EXAM PREP 2026
Real Practice Questions | Verified Answers | Detailed EXPERT RATIONALE
Core | Type I | Type II | Type III | Refrigerant Recovery & HVAC Systems
Review
SECTION 1: CORE — ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT & REGULATIONS
1. What is the primary reason CFCs and HCFCs are regulated under the Clean
Air Act?
A. They are highly flammable
B. They are toxic to humans at low concentrations
C. They deplete the stratospheric ozone layer
D. They cause acid rain
E. They are heavier than air and accumulate indoors
C. They deplete the stratospheric ozone layer
,EXPERT RATIONALE: CFCs and HCFCs contain chlorine atoms that, when released into
the atmosphere, rise to the stratosphere and break down ozone molecules, reducing the
Earth's protection from ultraviolet radiation.
2. Which international agreement first called for the phase-out of ozone-
depleting substances?
A. The Kyoto Protocol
B. The Paris Agreement
C. The Clean Air Act
D. The Montreal Protocol
E. The Geneva Convention
D. The Montreal Protocol
EXPERT RATIONALE: The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, is the international treaty
designed to phase out the production and use of substances that deplete the ozone
layer, including CFCs and HCFCs.
3. What does the term "ozone depletion potential" (ODP) measure?
A. The flammability of a refrigerant
B. The toxicity level of a refrigerant in enclosed spaces
C. A refrigerant's relative ability to destroy stratospheric ozone compared to R-11
D. The amount of refrigerant released per year
E. The pressure at which a refrigerant vaporizes
C. A refrigerant's relative ability to destroy stratospheric ozone compared
to R-11
,EXPERT RATIONALE: ODP is a measure of how much a given substance can destroy the
ozone layer relative to R-11, which has an ODP of 1.0. R-12 has an ODP of 1.0, while
HFCs have an ODP of 0.
4. Which of the following refrigerants has zero ozone depletion potential?
A. R-11
B. R-12
C. R-22
D. R-502
E. R-410A
E. R-410A
EXPERT RATIONALE: R-410A is an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) blend. HFCs contain no
chlorine or bromine atoms, giving them an ODP of zero, though they still have a high
global warming potential.
5. Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, it is illegal to:
A. Purchase refrigerant in containers larger than 30 lbs
B. Knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmosphere
C. Use recovery equipment manufactured before 1992
D. Service appliances containing more than 50 lbs of refrigerant
E. Sell refrigerant to uncertified technicians under 21 years old
B. Knowingly vent refrigerants into the atmosphere
EXPERT RATIONALE: Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibits the knowing release of
refrigerants into the atmosphere during the maintenance, service, repair, or disposal of
appliances.
, 6. What is the global warming potential (GWP) used to measure?
A. The boiling point of a refrigerant
B. A refrigerant's contribution to atmospheric warming relative to CO₂
C. The efficiency of a refrigerant in a heat pump system
D. The pressure of a refrigerant at room temperature
E. The flammability rating of a refrigerant
B. A refrigerant's contribution to atmospheric warming relative to CO₂
EXPERT RATIONALE: GWP compares how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the
atmosphere over a specific time period, relative to carbon dioxide (CO₂), which has a
GWP of 1.
7. Which refrigerant has the highest ozone depletion potential among the
following?
A. R-134a
B. R-410A
C. R-11
D. R-407C
E. R-404A
C. R-11
EXPERT RATIONALE: R-11 (trichlorofluoromethane) is a CFC with an ODP of 1.0, which
serves as the reference standard for ODP. It has the highest ozone depletion potential
among the options listed.
8. Who enforces Section 608 refrigerant regulations?
A. The Department of Energy (DOE)
