The Montreal Protocol and essential use exemptions.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty to phase out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other substances which destroy stratospheric ozone. The target date for the ban in developed countries, 1 January 2000, was subsequently advanced to 1 January 1996, with CFC production allowed temporarily for uses deemed 'essential' by the Parties. Seventeen governments submitted nominations to the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme requesting essential use exemptions for metered dose inhalers (MDIs). The nominations were reviewed by committees of technical experts and recommendations were considered at the Sixth Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol in October 1994. The Parties granted an exemption for the use of CFCs in MDIs for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during 1996 and 1997. The European Union (EU) accelerated its own CFC phase-out date to 1 January 1995, also building in the possibility of 'essential use' exemptions. In July 1994 the European Commission announced exemption for MDIs from this deadline. Patients and physicians can be confident that MDIs will remain available for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the small quantity of CFCs which has been exempted for use in MDIs will add very little to the existing environmental burden in the atmosphere.