True or False: The U.S. EPA classifies used refrigerants as hazardous waste.

The statement is false because the U.S. EPA does not automatically classify used refrigerants as hazardous waste. Instead, the classification of refrigerants as hazardous waste depends on their specific composition and whether they exhibit certain hazardous characteristics. Many used refrigerants, particularly those that have been recovered from HVAC systems, may be regulated under the EPA's refrigerant management policies, but they do not fall into the hazardous waste category unless they possess specific characteristics that qualify them as hazardous under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Refrigerants containing chlorine, like CFCs and HCFCs, are subject to strict regulations due to their ozone-depleting potential, but this does not automatically make them hazardous waste. Additionally, even if a refrigerant is contaminated, it won't necessarily be deemed hazardous unless it meets the criteria set forth by the EPA for hazardous waste. This means that just because it is used or potentially contaminated does not define its classification as hazardous waste. The used refrigerant must be evaluated based on its specific properties to determine its waste status.