Venting is prohibited
F-gas rules (EU Regulation 2024/573) prohibit deliberately venting refrigerants to the atmosphere. Before dismantling or repairing a system, the refrigerant must be recovered into an approved cylinder.
The recovery machine
A recovery machine compresses refrigerant from the system into an external cylinder. For modern flammable refrigerants (A2L, like R32) use an oil-free machine rated to operate in their presence and with high-pressure protection.
Liquid vs. vapour recovery
The "push-pull' method (liquid recovery) is far faster on large charges than vapour recovery. Watch the pressure and never overfill a cylinder — to 80% capacity at most.
Records
Keep records of recovered refrigerant and use certified equipment. Proper recovery is not only a legal duty but also protects the compressor on recharge.