American industrial giant Honeywell has blasted the European Commission (EU) over a proposal to give almost 50 foam manufacturers permission to use an HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) banned under the UN Montreal protocol on ozone layer depletion. Under a draft EU decision that could win member state backing this month, the firms would be allowed to resume use of HCFC-141b after the sole manufacturer of the main alternative, HFC-365mfc, experienced production difficulties that cut off market supply.