Do HFCs deplete ozone?

• A. No.
• B. Yes, heavily.
• C. Only under UV light.
• D. Occasionally, depending on temperature.

Answer: (A)

Ozone depletion in the stratosphere is driven by halogen-catalyzed reactions, mainly chlorine and bromine released from compounds like CFCs and halons. These halogens participate in cycles that destroy ozone molecules efficiently. HFCs, on the other hand, contain hydrogen, carbon, and fluorine but no chlorine or bromine. When HFCs break down, their products, such as HF, do not participate in the catalytic ozone-destroying cycles. HF acts as a stable reservoir for fluorine and does not drive ozone loss, so these compounds have essentially zero ozone depletion potential. That’s why they are considered ozone-friendly, even though they are potent greenhouse gases. The other options imply dependence on UV light, temperature, or heavy depletion, which does not apply because the key factor is the absence of chlorine and bromine in HFCs, not environmental conditions like UV exposure or temperature.