CFC (CFC)

CFC stands for chlorofluorocarbon, a family of fully halogenated refrigerants once used universally in domestic refrigerators, deep-freezers, and window air-conditioners manufactured before 1995. The most common variants in Indian e-waste are R-11 (used in foam blowing) and R-12 (used in compressors). Each kilogram of R-12 vented to the atmosphere has an ozone-depletion potential of 1.0 and a global-warming potential of roughly 10,900 times that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year horizon.

Why CFCs matter at end-of-life: Even though India phased out CFC production in 2010 under its Montreal Protocol commitments, refrigerators and air-conditioners manufactured before the changeover are now reaching end-of-life in large numbers. A single 165-litre domestic refrigerator contains roughly 90-150 grams of R-12 in the sealed compressor circuit plus another 200-300 grams of R-11 trapped in the polyurethane insulation foam. Both must be recovered before dismantling.

Recovery procedure: A licensed refrigerant recovery technician pierces the suction line with a self-sealing valve and pumps the gaseous refrigerant into a DOT-rated recovery cylinder using a recovery machine rated for the specific refrigerant family. The recovered gas is then either reclaimed for reuse in legacy equipment or destroyed at a high-temperature incinerator authorised under the Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. Foam-bound CFCs are released only when the cabinet is shredded inside a sealed enclosure with activated-carbon adsorption.

Failure modes: Cutting a refrigerator compressor line in open air vents the entire refrigerant charge in under 30 seconds — a single uncontrolled dismantling event releases the equivalent of 1-1.5 tonnes of CO2. Indian e-waste rules treat such venting as a violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, with penalties for the dismantler and the bulk consumer who supplied the appliance. Authorised dismantlers must maintain refrigerant logbooks showing serial numbers, recovered quantities, and disposal certificates from a CPCB-authorised destruction facility.