refrigeration

The cooling of substances, usually food, below the environmental temperature for preservative purposes. Refrigeration is responsible for the largest and fastest-growing use of CFCs in the developing world. The industrial countries, and some developing countries, have taken exceptional steps to control and, eventually, ban the production of CFCs and other ozone-depleting materials by the year 2000. However, many developing nations have not signed the Montreal Protocol because they are afraid that the cost of changing over to alternative, ozone-friendly technology will be too high. (Source: MGHa / WRIGHT)