Freon is a gas that was commonly used in refrigerators to keep food and drinks cold. However, Freon has been banned in many countries due to its harmful effects on the environment. There are now more environmentally friendly gases that are being used in refrigerators, such as propane and ammonia.
In the early 1990s, Freon was used as a refrigerant in nearly all home and commercial refrigerators. However, due to its harmful effects on the environment, the Montreal Protocol was enacted in 1987 to phase out the production of Freon. As a result, by 1995 most refrigerator manufacturers had stopped using Freon in their products.
Today, there are many different types of environmentally-friendly refrigerants available for use in refrigerators. Some of the most popular include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ammonia (NH3). While each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages, they are all much better for the environment than Freon ever was.
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-When Did the Phase-Out of Freon in Refrigerators Begin
The phase-out of Freon in refrigerators began in 1996 with the signing of the Montreal Protocol. This international treaty banned the production and use of a number of ozone-depleting chemicals, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are used as coolants in refrigerators.
In the United States, CFCs were commonly used in aerosmer products such as spray cans and insulation, as well as in industrial applications such as chillers and cleaning solvents.
CFCs are also known by the brand name Freon.
The production of CFCs was phased out under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, and substitutes for CFCs have been found for most applications. For example, HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) are often used as replacements for CFCs in refrigeration systems.
However, HCFCs still contribute to climate change and are being phased out under the Kyoto Protocol.
As a result of these regulations, many companies have stopped producing Freon refrigerators altogether. If your refrigerator uses Freon, it is likely an older model that will need to be replaced eventually.
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Conclusion
In the late 1990s, Freon was phased out of production in favor of more environmentally friendly coolants. However, there are still many older refrigerators that use Freon. If your refrigerator is more than 20 years old, it probably uses Freon.