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Destruction of Ozone Depleting Substances
In 1988, the United States ratified the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol). By ratifying the Montreal Protocol and its subsequent adjustments and amendments, the United States has committed to a collaborative, international effort to regulate and phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, methyl bromide, and hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs).
This international agreement led to an amendment of the Clean Air Act (CAA) in 1990 to include Title VI, Stratospheric Ozone Protection. Title VI authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to manage the phaseout of ODSs. Among the regulations established by EPA are requirements for the safe handling of ODSs and prohibitions on the known venting or release of ODSs into the atmosphere. Therefore, as ODSs are phased out, surplus ODSs must be stored, reused (after recycling or reclamation), or destroyed.
EPA is releasing the draft report Destruction of Ozone-Depleting Substances in the United States (55pp, 589K, About PDF), prepared by ICF International under contract to EPA. On July 17, 2008, EPA issued the draft report in a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) for public review and comment.