Atmospheric HCFC levels may have peaked

Scientists have observed a significant drop in the levels of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) in the atmosphere. The most common, R22, poses a significant threat due to being an ozone-depleting substance with a high global warming potential (GWP) 1760 times that of carbon dioxide.

A study led by the University of Bristol and published in scientific journal Nature Climate Change found that the peak amount of these chemicals occurred in 2021, five years earlier than predicted.