HCFC = Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC): a compound consisting of hydrogen,
fluorine, and carbon
The HFCs are a class of replacements for CFCs.
Because they do not contain chlorine or bromine, they do not deplete the
ozone layer. All HFCs have an ozone depletion potential
of 0. Some HFCs have high GWPs. HFCs are numbered
according to a
standard scheme. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
provides more detailed information about HFCs on
their web site.
Understanding the phase-out schedule:
| Under the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. and other
developed nations are obligated to achieve a certain percentage of
progress towards the total phaseout of HCFCs, by certain dates.
These nations use the cap as a baseline to measure their progress
towards achieving these percentage goals. The following table
shows the U.S. schedule for phasing out its use of HCFCs in
accordance with the terms of the Protocol. The Agency intends to
meet the limits set under the Protocol by accelerating the phaseout
of HCFC-141b, HCFC-142b and HCFC-22. These are the most damaging of
the HCFCs. By eliminating these chemicals by the specified dates,
the Agency believes that it will meet the requirements set by the
Parties to the Protocol. The third and fourth columns of the table
show how the U.S. will meet the international obligations described
in the first two columns.
| 2004 |
35.0% |
2003 |
No production and no importing of
HCFC-141b |
| 2010 |
65.0% |
2010 |
No production and no importing of
HCFC-142b and HCFC-22, except for use in equipment manufactured
before 1/1/2010 (so no production or importing for NEW equipment
that uses these refrigerants) |
| 2015 |
90.0% |
2015 |
No production and no importing of any
HCFCs, except for use as refrigerants in equipment manufactured
before 1/1/2020 |
| 2020 |
99.5% |
2020 |
No production and no importing of
HCFC-142b and HCFC-22 |
| 2030 |
100.0% |
2030 |
No production and no importing of any
HCFCs |
|
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