Phase out of CFCs by 2006 in developing countries has been ruled out on economic grounds. In this case a judgement has been made that the advantage of phasing out CFCs in developing countries by 2006, rather than 2010, does not justify a doubling of annual contributions to the multilateral fund. These countries have requested a relaxation of the time limit for phasing out CFCs from 1996 until 2000. The phase out of HCFCs in the industrialised world HCFCs are ozone depleting chemicals. It is claimed that the investment in these mistaken alternatives to CFCs should be protected, even though there are perfectly adequate alternatives to HCFCs available.
Some European countries plan to phase out their use of HCFCs within the next five years.
Others claim that they are needed for more than thirty. The justification for continuing to use these ozone depleting chemicals is purely profit led. Methyl bromide is one of the most potent ozone depleters - particularly in the short term. As this inventory reveals, over the next twenty years, methyl bromide produced over the past decade will cause as much depletion as halons. Clearly there are no scientific or technical reasons not to ban this chemical.