Chlorinated Hydrocarbons

A close cousin to chlorinated hydrocarbons like chloroform or carbon tetrachloride are chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. Chlorofluorocarbons are single carbon atoms with both the elements chlorine and fluorine chemically bonded to them. The compounds trichlorofluoromethane (Freon-11) and dichlorodifluoromethane (Freon-12) are widely used CFCs. They are odorless, nonflammable, very stable compounds used as refrigerants in commercial refrigerators and air conditioners. CFCs are also used as aerosol propellants, which launch products like hairspray and spray paint outward from cans. Very useful compounds, over 1,500 million lb (700 million kg) of CFCs were made worldwide in 1985. However, because they destroy the ozone layer, they are being phased-out as propellants and refrigerants.