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The Conversation USA

Cooling conundrum: HFCs were the 'safer' replacement for another damaging chemical in refrigerators and air conditioners – with a treaty now phasing them out, what's next?

  • Written by Scott Denning, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University
imageAir conditioners are one source of leaking HFCs.Bruce Yuanyue Bi/The Image Bank via Getty Images

The U.S. Senate voted to ratify an international treaty on Sept. 21, 2022, agreeing to phase out a class of climate-warming chemicals that are widely used as coolants in refrigerators, air conditioners and heat pumps.

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