Countries Agree to Speed Up Elimination of HCFCs

At a September 2007 meeting celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol, government representatives agreed to an accelerated schedule for phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), chemicals that damage ozone and act as greenhouse gases, used as refrigerants in air conditioners as well as in some foams. The accelerated schedule would have developed countries eliminating all forms of HCFCs by 2020, ten years ahead of schedule; developing countries would have until 2030 to phase out the chemicals, although small amounts of HCFCs could remain in circulation until 2040 for servicing older technologies. For the U.S., this accelerated schedule means minor adjustments to the schedule set by the Clean Air Act, including greater reductions of HCFCs by 2010 than originally legislated. More information on the Montreal Protocol is available at ozone.unep.org.