The purpose of destruction of CFCs, halons, 1,1,1 trichloroethane and carbon tetrachloride is to convert them into safe materials. Technologies in this regard are in the research stage and as yet there are no commercially available plants. Only thermal destruction of PCB at high temperature is a proven technology for treating chlorinated organic compounds.

In principle, the safe destruction of CFCs and other halogenated compounds requires three steps.

For the destruction of CFCs and relevant compounds, energy or promoter is required to dissociate the strong C-F, C-CI and C-Br bonds in the molecules. Depending on the means of initiating the dissociation, the technologies are classified as follows:

Energy-oriented destruction

CFCs are thermally and chemically stable substances. It is extremely difficult to decompose them, when compared with hydrocarbons, and there has been no necessity to do so, either. Consequently, extensive research has not been done in this respect. Transformation of CFCs includes (a) returning to raw materials such as hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride by decomposing constituent elements and (b) synthesis of alternatives to CFCs such as HCFs, as well as polymers such as Teflon from CFCs.

In the Incineration and Thermal Decomposition, CFCs are decomposed in internal combustion or external burners with burning petroleum. Thermal decomposition of CFCs requires a temperature of more than 700oC.

Under the Plasma Decomposition Method, it is possible to have continuo0us decomposition reaction in a radio-frequency inductive-coupling plasma reactor. In this method, inductive heating at radio frequency around the tubular plasma torch under atmospheric pressure in presence of Argon produces plasma within the torch. Plasma, having temperature distribution, reaches a maximum temperature of nearly 10,000oC at its center. When gaseous CFCs are introduced into this flow, CFCs are decomposed rapidly.

In Catalytic Decomposition Method, CFCs are decomposed by continuously circulating CFCs and steam on a solid catalyst. The high performance solid catalysts include zeolite, alumina, binary oxide of TiO2 - ZrO2 and iron oxide supported on activated carbon.

In Reagent Decomposition Method, CFCs are reductively decomposed by a sodium naphthalene reagent dissolved in an organic solvent, which reacts with gaseous or liquid CFCs and thereby gives NaCl and NaF through the neutralization between Na+ ions in the reagent and Cl and F in CFCs.

The Super Critical Water Decomposition Method utilizes the fact that a super critical state is formed in water beyond the critical point of water, state-facilitating hydrolysis. It is reported that CFC-11 and CFC-113 are almost completely decomposed at 400oC and 320 atm.

Study is being conducted on synthesizing chlorotrifluoroethylene monomers by dechlorinating or hydrogenationdehydrochlorinating of CFC-113 to make fluorine polymers (polychlorotrifluoroethylene). For these processes, various technologies are being studied, including thermal decomposition, catalysis and electrochemistry.