Dichloro-I,I,I-Trifuloroethane 2,2 (HCFC-123)

This is a concise assessment of the risks to human health and the environment posed by exposure to 2,2-dichloro-1, 1trifluoroethane (HCFC-123), a volatile liquid used as a refrigerant in commercial and industrial air-conditioning installations, in gaseous fire extinguishers, as a foam-blowing agent, and in metal and electronics cleaning.

Although HCFC-123 is known to contribute to ozone depletion, the significance of its role in global warming is far smaller than that of chlorofluorocarbons, which are being phased out in compliance with the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Releases of HCFC-123 into the environment are primarily into ambient air.

In the atmosphere, the chemical has an estimated lifetime of less than two years.

The risk to aquatic organisms is considered low. While exposures during manufacture and use of products containing the chemical are of concern.