A method of reducing perfluorocarbon emissions wherein a plasma reactor or thermal chamber is provided and a gaseous single halogen-containing perfluorocarbon is entered into the reactor or thermal chamber. The perfluorocarbon is altered in the plasma reactor or thermal chamber to one of a bromine-containing and/or iodine-containing carbon species and expelled from the reactor or thermal chamber. The alteration includes entering into the plasma reactor or thermal chamber a species taken from the class consisting of iodine, bromine, hydrogen iodide, hydrogen bromide, bromocarbon compound and iodocarbon compounds. When the reactor is a thermal chamber, the temperature in the thermal chamber is at least 800.degree. C. and the single halogen-containing species is located in the chamber for from about 1 minute to about 3 minutes. When the reactor is a plasma reactor, a plasma is provided in the plasma reactor to dissociate all of the halogen-containing species in the reactor with the dissociated species combining to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly.