Hydrochlorofluorocarbons

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are compounds made up of hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, and carbon atoms. HCFCs and their cousins, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), were created in the 1980s as substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) for use in refrigeration and a wide variety of manufacturing processes. Because all three of these classes of compounds either destroy the stratospheric ozone layer essential to life on Earth, and/or contribute to an unnatural warming of the planet's climate, international agreements have been signed to eliminate their production and use by either the year 2000 (CFCs) or 2040 (HCFCs and HFCs).