This article should be merged with Freon, Halon, CFC, and Hydrochlorofluorocarbon and added to Alkyl halide
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) is one of a class of fluorocarbon compounds that are used primarily as chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) substitutes.
When CFCs break down, they release atomic chlorine which breaks down ozone. However, CFCs primarily break down in the upper atmosphere where the protective ozone layer exists.
Work on CFC alternatives began in the late 1970s after the first warnings of CFC damage to stratospheric ozone. By adding hydrogen to the chemical formulation, chemists made CFCs less stable in the lower atmosphere enabling them to break down before reaching the ozone layer.
Still, HCFCs do release chlorine and have contributed to more chlorine buildup in the upper atmospheric than originally predicted. Development of non-chlorine based chemical compounds as a substitute for CFCs and HCFCs continues.
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Last updated: 05-31-2005 00:02:52
