A passive refrigerant retrieval and storage apparatus is shown for retrieving refrigerant from a cooling system prior to servicing the cooling system. The passive apparatus includes a coil collector tube within an insulated housing with an outlet from the collector tube passing through a metering valve into the housing. The collector tube is connected to the condenser outlet of a cooling system and the system compressor operated to pump pressurized liquid refrigerant into the collector tube. A small portion of the refrigerant is discharged through the metering valve into the apparatus housing where it is evaporated and causes extreme subcooling to the refrigerant in the collector tube. A return line from the housing to the inlet side of the compressor returns the evaporated refrigerant to the cooling system. Gradually the cooling system is starved for refrigerant such that the pressures in both the high pressure side and low pressure side of the cooling system gradually decrease, decreasing the pressure of refrigerant within the collector tube and housing of the retrieval apparatus such that the liquid will no longer evaporate, trapping the refrigerant in the retrieval apparatus.