HFCs and other F-gases: The Worst Greenhouse Gases You’ve Never Heard Of

HFCs are man-made greenhouse gases developed by the chemicalindustry to replace CFCs, HFCs’ ozone-killing cousins,which werec banned in 1992 by the Montreal Protocol. Unfortunately, despite their PR spin, HFCs are NOT an environmental alternative to anything. CFCs and HFCs are all part of a family of gases known as F-gases. F stands for fluorine, the chemical element shared by all of them. Their regulatory control is split between theMontreal Protocol (responsible for regulation of ozone depleting substances) and the Kyoto Protocol(responsible for regulation of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.) The major applications that use F-gases are refrigeration, air conditioning, foam blowing agents, aerosols, fire protection and solvents.HFCs are used primarily in refrigeration and air conditioning, with these sectors accounting for 90% of F-gas use.