Does ethanol "decompose" or "remove" phosgene from chloroform? A question I was asked was: "Why is ethanol added to chloroform bottles?". I know that chloroform can be slowly converted to poisonous phosgene gas, and that ethanol is added to prevent phosgene levels from rising. However, the options I was given were:


It decomposes phosgene by converting it into ethyl carbonate.
It removes phosgene  by converting it into ethyl carbonate


Is there a difference between the two wordings, and is one more correct than the other? The answer is supposedly "decomposes".
It's a weird way of phrasing it, but I think they are trying to lead you to this

Basically, chloroform is stabilized with ethanol or amylene, but if a sample is dried, it will no longer contain stabilizer. To actually remove phosgene, you can wash it with NaHCO3. This would essentially leave you with entirely harmless products. 

This is my best guess as to what they are trying to get you to understand. Please let me know if this helps.