The Three R’s of Refrigerant Stewardship: Recovery, Recycle & Reclaim with A-Gas

About this episode

This episode discusses the critical importance of refrigerant stewardship in the HVAC industry with guest Anthony Nash from A-Gas.

In this thought-provoking episode recorded live at the 2026 National HVAC Education Conference, we sit down with Anthony Nash from A-Gas to tackle one of the HVAC industry’s most important — and often misunderstood — topics: refrigerant recovery, recycling and reclaim. Together, we unpack the critical differences between the “Three R’s” and why proper refrigerant stewardship is essential for the future of the industry. We explore: • The real differences between recover, recycle and reclaim — and why they matter • How poor refrigerant management is driving regulatory changes and refrigerant transitions • Why refrigerant recovery is both an environmental responsibility and a legal obligation • The growing need for reclaimed refrigerant as HFC phasedowns continue • The cultural challenges young technicians face when industry habits conflict with proper training • How contractors, educators and technicians can work together to improve stewardship and accountability • What future refrigerant transitions could look like if the industry fails to adapt Anthony shares practical insight into the refrigerant lifecycle, the importance of education and accountability, and the role every…

People in this episode

Guest: Anthony Nash

Topics covered

• refrigerant recovery
• recycling
• reclaim
• HVAC industry
• environmental responsibility
• regulatory changes
• education

Keywords

• refrigerant stewardship
• HFC phasedowns
• environmental responsibility
• legal obligation
• HVAC education
• refrigerant lifecycle
• accountability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: A-Gas, ESCO Institute

More episodes of Did You Know?-The ESCO HVAC Podcast

• Future-Proofing the Trades: Bridging Plumbing and HVAC, and the Power of Local Unions · June 12, 2026 · 16 min
• Building Careers, Brotherhood and the Future Workforce · June 5, 2026 · 21 min
• From Tutus to Tool Belts: Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in the Trades · May 29, 2026 · 18 min
• The Skilled Trades Awakening: Greg Crumpton on HVAC, AI & the Future Workforce · May 22, 2026 · 26 min
• Smarter Safety in HVAC: Protecting Technicians with Real-Time CO Detection · May 8, 2026 · 11 min
• The Refrigerant Reality Check: Why Recovery Matters More Than Ever · May 1, 2026 · 26 min