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This is the key point of the whole article I think, and why anything changed at all: > DuPont’s patent on CFC technologies had expired. It is good to celebrat
by headsoup 4y ago
This is the key point of the whole article I think, and why anything changed at all:
> DuPont’s patent on CFC technologies had expired.
It is good to celebrate success, but it would be nicer if large industries had a track record of integrity and empathy on decisions that affect humanity negatively.
- buildsjets 4y agoThe expiration of a patent (license to operate as a monopoly for a period of time) would increase the production of a useful chemical, not decrease it. In fact, occasionally illegal production is detected by surveillance measures and eradicated. This incident was the talk of my industry a few years ago: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02109-2 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02109-2
- caymanjim 4y agoEspecially in this case. CFCs remain the most effective chemicals for a number of uses. It's only through social agreement manifested as political and consumer action that we eschew them in favor of alternatives.
- stephen_g 4y agoI'm not an expert in this area, but from what I understand, I don't think that's actually true. I believe the advantage was that they had very high performance at low pressures, which reduced the demands of the mechanical design. This was obviously advantageous when material science, compressors etc. weren't as advanced, but is not as much a deal anymore.
- WaxProlix 4y agoOr, the loss of a highly profitable monopoly on CFCs removes a motive from Dupont's perspective to lobby and publicize against ozone-related action.
- graycat 4y agoThere were claims that Freon was being manufactured in India and sold really cheap.