The chemical society and its discontents: Ozone layer edition

The history of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), their danger to the ozone layer, and the drive to replace them reminds me of an observation from former CBS news correspondent and commentator Eric Sevareid: "[T]he real cause of problems is solutions."

When chemists F. Sherwood Roland and Mario Molina asked where chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) go after leaking from refrigerators and air conditioners or being intentionally released from aerosol cans, they did not know that the answer would lead to the world-shaking discovery that these chemicals were threatening the Earth's ozone layer with destruction. Since this layer protects the Earth's surface from most of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation—radiation that would threaten all life if unchecked—the countries of the world agreed to phase out the use of these chemicals in what is known as the Montreal Protocol.

Substitute propellants for aerosol cans—mostly what is called liquid petroleum gas—represent an explosion hazard, but no longer threaten the ozone layer. But the first substitute for refrigerators and air conditioners, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), still had some potential to damage to ozone layer. So, now those are being phased out and being replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) "which contain no chlorine, and therefore pose no risk to the ozone layer."

So, problem solved. Except that the solution has led to another problem only recently discovered. Both HCFCs and their successors, HFCs, break down in the atmosphere to create trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The TFA then rains down on the Earth and gets deposited in soil, absorbed by plants and animals, and concentrated in rivers. TFA takes a thousand years to break down much like the often discussed "forever chemicals." And, it turns out that TFA is toxic to humans and animals and may damage the reproductive system and the liver.

Researchers estimate that more than 300,000 tons have now rained down on the Earth's surface with more to follow. It should be no surprise that a "solution" to this problem has now been found. Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) are being offered as an "environmentally sustainable" substitute for HCFCs and HFCs. Trouble is, as the researchers point out, "HFOs are the latest class of synthetic refrigerants marketed as climate-friendly alternatives to HFCs [but] a number of HFOs are known to be TFA-forming."

The next time you read that the solutions to chemical pollution are new and different chemicals, thank Eric Sevareid for reminding us that it is almost certainly not so. And realize that it the way we think about problems and solutions that is the real problem.

Kurt Cobb is a freelance writer and communications consultant who writes frequently about energy and environment. His work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Resilience, Common Dreams, Naked Capitalism, Le Monde Diplomatique, Oilprice.com, OilVoice, TalkMarkets, Investing.com, Business Insider and many other places. He is the author of an oil-themed novel entitled Prelude and has a widely followed blog called Resource Insights. He can be contacted at kurtcobb2001@yahoo.com.