Dichlorodifluoromethane (Freon 12)
CAS No. 75-71-8
 
 

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Adverse Effects
Abstracts
NTIS Reports

ACTIVITY: Insecticide, Fungicide Propellant, EPA List 2 Inert (Halogenated organic)

Also known as Freon 12

Structure:

Adverse Effects:

Ataxia
Brain
CNS
Heart
Leukemia
Liver
Lung
Tremors/Convulsions

Environmental Effects:

Ozone depleting substance

Very resistant to chemical and biological degradation and likely to be a persistent contaminant if it reaches groundwater.

Bioconcentration in organisms is low to moderate.

Regulatory Information
(only comprehensive for the US)
US EPA Registered: Yes 
US EPA PC Code: 000014
California Chemical Code 1459
Other Information
Manufacturers: Allied Signal
DuPont
Elf Atochem
Note: Has not been manufactured in
the US since 1995
Other Names: Freon 12, CFC 12,
Propellent 12, Frigen 12,
Arcton 12, FC 12,
Genetron 12, Ledon 12,
Eskimon 12
-- See more names in box below.
Manufacture site:

US:

Allied Signal Inc.
Prod site
: Danville, IL 61834

Dupont Chemical Inc.
Prod sites:
-- Antioch, CA 94509;
-- Montague, MI 49437.


Elf Atochem North America Inc.
Prod site: Calvert City, KT 42029.
 

Of special interest:
PAN Data
TOXNET profile from Hazardous Substances Data Bank
September 24, 2003 (Revised). Released November 7, 2003 - FREON [11, 12, 113]. Technical Support Document: Toxicology. Clandestine Drug Labs/ Methamphetamine. Volume 1, Number 11. California EPA, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), Department of Toxic Substances Control.
2000 - Toxic Release Inventory. Brief Summary.
IRIS - Integrated Risk Information System - US EPA, May 1998
Occupational Safety & Health Guideline - OSHA
Insecticide Products. Partial List.
Abstracts
NTIS Reports
National Occupational Exposure Survey:
1981 - 1983

Synonyms
AI3-01708
Algofrene type 2
Arcton 12
Arcton 6
CCRIS 3501
CFC 12
Caswell No. 304
Chlorofluorocarbon 12
Dichlorodifluoromethane
Diclorodifluometano [Spanish]
Difluorodichloromethane
Dwuchlorodwufluorometan [Polish]
Dymel 12
EINECS 200-893-9
Electro-CF 12
Eskimon 12
F 12
FC 12
FCC 12
FKW 12
Fluorocarbon-12
Forane 12
Freon 12
Freon F-12
Frigen 12
Genetron 12
HSDB 139 Halon
Halon 122

Isceon 122
Isotron 12

Isotron 2
Kaiser chemicals 12
Ledon 12
Methane, dichlorodifluoro-
Propellant 12
R 12 (refrigerant)
RCRA waste number U075
Refrigerant 12
Refrigerant R 12
Ucon 12
Ucon 12/halocarbon 12



US EPA List of Inerts. This substance is on List 2

Note: US EPA allows so-called "Inert" ingredients to be commonly mixed with the "active" pesticidal ingredient to create a formulated pesticide product. According to EPA, "The term `inert' is not intended to imply nontoxicity; the ingredient may or may not be chemically active." "Inert" ingredients include solvents, emulsifiers, spreaders, and other substances mixed into pesticide products to increase the effectiveness of the active ingredients, make the product easier to apply, or to allow several active ingredients to mix in one solution. Both US EPA and California Department of Pesticide Regulation require pesticide manufacturers to identify inert ingredients in their products but do not disclose this information to the general public because the pesticide industry considers product formulations trade secrets, protected by law and by the US EPA. The US EPA category of Inerts (as of September 2003):

List 1 - Of Toxicological Concern
List 2 - Potentially Toxic / High Priority for Testing
List 3 - Of Unknown Toxicity
List 4A - Generally Regarded as Safe
List 4B - EPA states it has Sufficient Information to Reasonably Conclude that the Current Use Pattern in Pesticide Products will not Adversely Affect Public Health or the Environment
List 4 (all)

See good report: Toxic Secrets": "Inert" Ingredients in Pesticides 1987-1997, published by Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides.


US Federal Register
Date Published Docket Identification Number Details
August 3, 2005 OPP-2005-0068

Inert ingredients; Revocation of Pesticide Tolerance Exemptions for Three CFC Chemicals. FINAL RULE.
EPA is revoking exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for three inert ingredients (dichlorodifluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and trichlorofluoromethane) because these substances no longer have active Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) pesticide product registrations and/or because their use in pesticide products sold in the United States (U.S.) has been prohibited under the Clean Air Act (CAA) for over a decade due to EPA's ban on the sale or distribution, or offer for sale or distribution in interstate commerce of certain nonessential products that contain or are manufactured with ozone depleting compounds...
Nonetheless, EPA will establish and maintain tolerances and tolerance exemptions even when corresponding domestic uses are canceled if the tolerances, which EPA refers to as ``import tolerances,'' are necessary to allow
importation into the United States of food containing such pesticide residues.
However, where there are no imported commodities that require these import tolerances, the Agency believes it is appropriate to revoke tolerances and tolerance exemptions for unregistered pesticide chemicals in order to prevent potential misuse.

40 CFR chapter I is amended as follows:
PART 180--[AMENDED]
• 1. The authority citation for part 180 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a and 371.
• 2. Section 180.910 is amended by removing the following exemptions and
any associated Limits and Uses from the table: Dichlorodifluoromethane,
Dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and Trichlorofluoromethane.
• 3. Section 180.930 is amended by removing the following exemptions and
any associated Limits and Uses from the table: Dichlorodifluoromethane
and Trichlorofluoromethane.

April 27, 2005 OPP-2005-0068

Inert Ingredients; Proposal to Revoke Pesticide Tolerance.
EPA is proposing to revoke exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for three inert ingredients (dichlorodifluoromethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and trichlorofluoromethane) because these
substances are no longer in active Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) pesticide product registrations and/or their use in pesticide products sold in the U.S. has been prohibited under the Clean Air Act for over a decade by EPA's ban on the sale or distribution, or offer for sale or distribution in interstate commerce
of certain nonessential products that contain or are manufactured with ozone depleting compounds.
These ingredients are subject to reassessment by August, 2006 under section 408(q) of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).

Therefore, it is proposed that 40 CFR part 180 be amended as follows:
PART 180--AMENDED
1. The authority citation for part 180 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321(q), 346a and 371.
Sec. 180.910 [Amended]
2. Section 180.910 is amended by removing the following exemptions
and any associated Limits and Uses from the table:
Dichlorodifluoromethane, Dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and
Trichlorofluoromethane.
Sec. 180.930 [Amended]
3. Section 180.930 is amended by removing the following exemptions
and any associated Limits and Uses from the table:
Dichlorodifluoromethane and Trichlorofluoromethane.

April 28, 2004 OPP-2003-0368 Pesticides; Tolerance Exemptions for Active and Inert Ingredients for Use in Antimicrobial Formulations (Food-Contact Surface Sanitizing Solutions). FINAL RULE.
-- Propellant - used in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops or to raw agricultural commodities after harvest; and in pesticide formulations applied to animals. 
June 21, 2001 RSPA-2000-7702 (HM-215D) Hazardous Materials Regulations for Fluoride substances. Harmonization of international shipment of Dangerous Goods. Final Rule.
June 24, 1998 OPP- 36192 US EPA List 2 Inert; Ingredient in Pesticide Products.
 
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