Ozone depleting chemicals

Ozone depleting chemicals are regulated internationally under the Montreal Protocol, see http://ozone.unep.org/en/treaties-and-decisions/montreal-protocol-substances-deplete-ozone-layer.

Some ozone depleting substances (ODSs) have already been phased out completely, and the use of others is being discouraged.  However, although many ozone depleting substances are used as refrigerant gases, where substitution may be possible, others may also be used as pesticides, or as chemical feedstocks for making other chemicals, where substitution may not be possible in the near future, or at all.

Ozone depleting substances are classified within CLP under Hazardous to the Ozone Layer, Category 1, H420, Harms public health and the environment by destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere.  Only substances which are identified as ozone-depleting substances attract this hazard classification.

EU regulation of ODSs

In the EU, the Montreal Protocol is implemented through Regulation EC 1005/2009, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:286:0001:0030:EN:PDF, which is a directly-acting regulation, and enforced in the UK through the Ozone Depleting Substance Regulations 2015, http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/168/pdfs/uksi_20150168_en.pdf .

The EU Regulation controls the production, placing on the market and use of substances that
deplete the ozone layer and require that those who work on the recovery, recycling, reclamation or
destruction of controlled substances and the prevention and minimising of leakages of controlled
substances have minimum qualifications.

The EU recognises that some are used as feedstocks for other, more beneficial chemicals, and there is a derogation from bans and reductions on use for this specific use (Article 7 of Regulation EC 1005/2009).  However, the label must include text indicating that it should only be used as a feedstock. Export and import of ODSs is also strictly controlled.  If you are making or selling any ODS as a chemical feedstock, it is recommended you read the requirements of the regulation carefully to ensure you meet all the requirements.

List of ODSs

A list of ODSs is given in Annex I to Regulation EC 1005/2009, which contains 9 groups of ODSs (matching those in the Montreal Protocol).  The list applies to all isomers of each substance, whether alone or in a mixture, and whether they are virgin, recovered or reclaimed, so it is not a complete list, and you should check whether your substance is an isomer of any on the list.

There are 9 groups of ODSs, as follows:

• Group I: Chlorofluorocarbons
• Group II: other Chlorofluorocarbons
• Group III: Halons
• Group IV: Carbon tetrachloride
• Group V: Trichloroethane
• Group VI: Methyl bromide
• Group VII: Hydrobromofluorocarbons
• Group VIII: Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
• Group IX: Bromochloromethane

A summary list of these chemicals has been produced for reference, together with CAS numbers, and EDF substance ID if no CAS number could be found: Annex I List of Ozone Depleting Potential Substances .  (EDF substance ID numbers are produced by the Environmental Defense Fund, an American NGO, see https://www.edf.org/ for details).