Do chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants damage the ozone layer?
Yes. An international protocol limits future worldwide production and consumption of the fully halogenated CFCs 11, 12,113,114, and 115. Virtually all of the refrigerant used in residential central air conditioning systems is called HCFC-22, which has some ozone-depletion potential, but only one-twentieth that of CFCs. This is because HCFC-22 breaks down fairly rapidly when released into the lower atmosphere, and most of it never reaches the ozone layer at high altitudes. HCFC-22 will be phased out of production for use in new equipment by the year 2010 and for servicing existing equipment in 2020. After its phase out, there will still be some of this refrigerant available for servicing existing equipment. Manufacturers are beginning to produce units that use alternative refrigerants.
