They are alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) based refrigerants. By 1996, almost all nations had banned chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants and commercial production ceased. The Freon produced back then was chlorofluorocarbon, a moderately toxic gas causing ozone depletion. Pentachlorofluoroethane is a chlorofluorocarbon once used as a propellant and refrigerant. A common etch gas is chlorofluorocarbon, or more commonly known Freon. Originally, the solvent found in hair spray was a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC). Thomas Midgley, Jr. created the first non-flammable, non-toxic chlorofluorocarbon gas, "Freon" (R-12), in 1928. The team eventually synthesized dichlorodifluoromethane, the first chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), which they named "Freon". It used a proprietary working fluid dubbed Learium, possibly a chlorofluorocarbon similar to DuPont Freon. Chloropentafluoroethane is a chlorofluorocarbon once used as a refrigerant. Chlorofluorocarbon restrictions lowered this to 3.6 million tons in 1994; production has since been increasing.