Pet Safety / Compounds / R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane)

Is R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane) safe for dogs and cats?

Low risk for pets

Low likelihood of exposure. Legacy contamination only.

What is r-113 (cfc-113 / 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane)?

Also known as: 1,1,2-Trichlorotrifluoroethane, 76-13-1, 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, Fluorocarbon 113.

CAS number
76-13-1
Molecular formula
C2Cl3F3
Molecular weight
187.38 g/mol
SMILES
C(C(F)(Cl)Cl)(F)(F)Cl
PubChem CID
6428

Risk for dogs

Low risk

Low likelihood of exposure. Legacy contamination only.

Risk for cats

Low risk

Low likelihood of exposure.

Regulatory consensus

5 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
MONTREAL PROTOCOL—Class I ODS — production and import banned since 1996 (developed countries)
EPA CAA—Class I substance under Clean Air Act Section 612
CERCLA—Reportable quantity 5000 lbs
RCRA—Listed hazardous waste (U121)
EU ODS—Banned under EU Ozone Regulation 1005/2009

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter r-113 (cfc-113 / 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane)

  • Legacy Contamination — Groundwater contamination at former electronics manufacturing, military bases, and dry cleaning sites
  • Atmospheric Tracer — Used as atmospheric tracer for ocean circulation and groundwater dating studies
  • Legacy Equipment — Some remaining installed chillers in developing countries
  • Historical — Was the standard electronics/precision cleaning solvent until 1990s ban

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane):

  • Aqueous cleaning
    Trade-offs: Alternative approach; specific tradeoffs depend on application context, scale, and regulatory requirements. Full hazard assessment of alternative recommended before adoption to avoid regrettable substitution.
    Relative cost: 0.8-1.5×
  • HFE-7100 (Novec 7100)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Isopropyl alcohol
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is r-113 (cfc-113 / 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane) safe for pets?

Low likelihood of exposure. Legacy contamination only.

What products contain r-113 (cfc-113 / 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane)?

R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane) appears in: Groundwater contamination at former electronics manufacturing, military bases, and dry cleaning sites (Legacy Contamination); Used as atmospheric tracer for ocean circulation and groundwater dating studies (Atmospheric Tracer); Some remaining installed chillers in developing countries (Legacy Equipment).

Why do regulators disagree about r-113 (cfc-113 / 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane)?

R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane) has been classified by 5 agencies including MONTREAL PROTOCOL, EPA CAA, CERCLA, RCRA, EU ODS, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See R-113 (CFC-113 / 1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane) in the pets app

Look up products containing r-113 (cfc-113 / 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. — expert_curation

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →