CFCs, ozone depletion and their impact on the electronics industry. I. Background

The recent proof that man-made chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are seriously damaging the ozone layer and the suggestion that they may contribute to the global warming phenomenon, has led to the development of international regulatory controls through the Montreal Protocol. The expected tightening of these controls sill inevitably result in the virtual disappearance of these solvents over the next few years. In the face of rapidly decreasing availability and increasing unit price therefore, many industries are taking a hard look at alternative materials for a range of applications. Here, the authors provide a background to the harmful effects of the CFCs against which the electronics industry has to make important decisions regarding their replacements