Effect of chlorofluorocarbon on environment

What is it?

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a group of compounds which contain the elements chlorine, fluorine and carbon. At room temperatures, they are usually colourless gases or liquids which evaporate easily. They are generally unreactive and stable, non-toxic and non-flammable. CFCs are also a part of the group of chemicals known as the volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

What is it used for?

The properties of CFCs make them useful for a variety of commercial and industrial purposes: as a propellant in aerosol sprays (now banned in the US and Europe), in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, in foams, in cleaning solvents and in electrical components.

Where does it come from?

Most CFCs have been released to the atmosphere through the use of aerosols containing them and as leakages from refrigeration equipment. Other releases may occur from industry producing and using them and other products containing them. There are not thought to be any natural sources of CFCs to the environment.

How might it affect the environment?

CFCs are unlikely to have any direct impact on the environment in the immediate vicinity of their release. As VOCs, they may be slightly involved in reactions to produce ground level ozone, which can cause damage to plants and materials on a local scale. At a global level however, releases of CFCs have serious environmental consequences. Their long lifetimes in the atmosphere mean that some end up in the higher atmopshere (stratosphere) where they can destroy the ozone layer, thus reducing the protection it offers the earth from the sun's harmful UV rays. CFCs also contribute to Global Warming (through "the Greenhouse Effect"). Although the amounts emitted are relatively small, they have a powerful warming effect (a very high "Global Warming Potential").