Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or HCFC's are chemicals that are mainly used as refrigerants in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industries. Unfortunately, releases of HCFC's damage the ozone layer, which shields the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. The United States is one of more than 190 countries to phase out the manufacture of ozone-depleting substances and find alternatives.
HCFC-22 or (R-22) is often used in air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. HCFC-14b is also used as a refrigerant, often as a component of a blend. It is sometimes used for foam blowing or as a propellant in aerosol cans. These two HCFC's are being phased out according to the following schedule:
January 1, 2010 - Ban on production and import of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b except for on-going servicing needs of existing equipment
January 1, 2015 - Ban on sale and use of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b except for certain uses, including on-going servicing needs of existing refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment
January 1, 2020 - Ban on remaining production and import of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b after 2020, the servicing of systems that use R-22 or R-142b will rely on recovered or stokpiled quantities. It is difficult to predict when these supplies will run out. Supplies may be available until almost all equipment containing R-22 or R-142b is retired. However, in the future, supplies will be more limited and costs of HCFC's will likely rise.
January 1, 2030 - No production and no importing of any HCFC's
