How much R-22 is worth depends on market scarcity, location, and whether it is virgin, reclaimed, or in a system, but it has become valuable because it is phased out and no longer produced. R-22 was once cheap at a few dollars per pound, but after production ban in 2020, prices rose dramatically. As of recent years, a 25-pound cylinder of reclaimed R-22 in the US can cost between 500 and 1200 dollars depending on supplier and purity, which is about 20 to 50 dollars per pound wholesale, and retail service charges are higher, with contractors charging 80 to 150 dollars per pound including labor to add to a system. Smaller disposable cylinders and cans cost even more per pound. The value of R-22 recovered from old equipment is also significant, reclamation companies will pay for recovered R-22 because they can clean and resell it. For a homeowner, the R-22 in a 3-ton residential unit containing about 6 to 10 pounds could have material value of a few hundred dollars, but service cost to recover it is high. Prices vary by region and continue to rise as stockpiles deplete, making R-22 one of the most expensive common refrigerants today.
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