What do you mean by depletion of ozone layer

And at the end of , the United Nations confirmed in a scientific assessment that the ozone layer is recovering, projecting that it would heal completely in the non-polar Northern Hemisphere by the s, followed by the Southern Hemisphere in the s and polar regions by A study in early found that ozone in the lower stratosphere unexpectedly and inexplicably has dropped since , while another pointed to possible ongoing violations of the Montreal pact.

The world is not yet in the clear when it comes to harmful gases from coolants. Some hydrochlorofluorocarbons HCFCs , transitional substitutes that are less damaging but still harmful to ozone, are still in use.

Developing countries need funding from the Montreal Protocol's Multilateral Fund to eliminate the most widely used of these, the refrigerant R The next generation of coolants, hydrofluorocarbons HFCs , do not deplete ozone, but they are powerful greenhouse gases that trap heat, contributing to climate change.

Though HFCs represent a small fraction of emissions compared with carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases , their planet-warming effect prompted an addition to the Montreal Protocol, the Kigali Amendment , in The amendment, which came into force in January , aims to slash the use of HFCs by more than 80 percent over the next three decades.

In the meantime, companies and scientists are working on climate-friendly alternatives, including new coolants and technologies that reduce or eliminate dependence on chemicals.

All rights reserved. Climate Ozone Depletion The ozone layer helps to protect life from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Find out what caused the ozone hole, and how the Montreal Protocol sought to put an end to ozone depletion. Ozone threats and 'the hole' In , Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland , two chemists at the University of California, Irvine, published an article in Nature detailing threats to the ozone layer from chlorofluorocarbon CFC gases.

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Managing Refrigerant Emissions. Most atmospheric ozone is concentrated in a layer in the stratosphere, about 9 to 18 miles 15 to 30 km above the Earth's surface see the figure below. Ozone is a molecule that contains three oxygen atoms. At any given time, ozone molecules are constantly formed and destroyed in the stratosphere. The total amount has remained relatively stable during the decades that it has been measured. The ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs a portion of the radiation from the sun, preventing it from reaching the planet's surface.

UVB is a kind of ultraviolet light from the sun and sun lamps that has several harmful effects. It is a cause of melanoma and other types of skin cancer.

It has also been linked to damage to some materials, crops, and marine organisms. The ozone layer protects the Earth against most UVB coming from the sun.

It is always important to protect oneself against UVB, even in the absence of ozone depletion, by wearing hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. However, these precautions will become more important as ozone depletion worsens. UVB has been linked to many harmful effects , including skin cancers, cataracts, and harm to some crops and marine life.

Scientists have established records spanning several decades that detail normal ozone levels during natural cycles.

Ozone concentrations in the atmosphere vary naturally with sunspots, seasons, and latitude. These processes are well understood and predictable. Each natural reduction in ozone levels has been followed by a recovery. Beginning in the s, however, scientific evidence showed that the ozone shield was being depleted well beyond natural processes.

When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over , ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. Ozone can be destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created. Some compounds release chlorine or bromine when they are exposed to intense UV light in the stratosphere.

These compounds contribute to ozone depletion, and are called ozone-depleting substances ODS ODS A compound that contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion.

ODS include chlorofluorocarbons CFCs , hydrochlorofluorocarbons HCFCs , halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride, hydrobromofluorocarbons, chlorobromomethane, and methyl chloroform. ODS are generally very stable in the troposphere and only degrade under intense ultraviolet light in the stratosphere. When they break down, they release chlorine or bromine atoms, which then deplete ozone.

ODS that release chlorine include chlorofluorocarbons chlorofluorocarbons Gases covered under the Montreal Protocol and used for refrigeration, air conditioning, packaging, insulation, solvents, or aerosol propellants. Since they are not destroyed in the lower atmosphere, CFCs drift into the upper atmosphere where, given suitable conditions, they break down ozone. These gases are being replaced by other compounds: hydrochlorofluorocarbons, an interim replacement for CFCs that are also covered under the Montreal Protocol, and hydrofluorocarbons, which are covered under the Kyoto Protocol.

All these substances are also greenhouse gases. See hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, ozone depleting substance. CFCs , hydrochlorofluorocarbons hydrochlorofluorocarbons Compounds containing hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, and carbon atoms.

Although ozone depleting substances, they are less potent at destroying stratospheric ozone than chlorofluorocarbons CFCs. They have been introduced as temporary replacements for CFCs and are also greenhouse gases.

See ozone depleting substance. HCFCs , carbon tetrachloride carbon tetrachloride A compound consisting of one carbon atom and four chlorine atoms. Carbon tetrachloride was widely used as a raw material in many industrial uses, including the production of chlorofluorocarbons CFCs , and as a solvent.

Solvent use ended when it was discovered to be carcinogenic. It is also used as a catalyst to deliver chlorine ions to certain processes. Its ozone depletion potential is 1. Methyl chloroform is used as an industrial solvent. Its ozone depletion potential is 0. ODS that release bromine include halons halons Compounds, also known as bromofluorocarbons, that contain bromine, fluorine, and carbon. They are generally used as fire extinguishing agents and cause ozone depletion.

Bromine is many times more effective at destroying stratospheric ozone than chlorine. Methyl Bromide is an effective pesticide used to fumigate soil and many agricultural products. Because it contains bromine, it depletes stratospheric ozone and has an ozone depletion potential of 0. Production of methyl bromide was phased out on December 31, , except for allowable exemptions. In the s, concerns about the effects of ozone-depleting substances ODS ODS A compound that contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion.

Gaseous CFCs can deplete the ozone layer when they slowly rise into the stratosphere, are broken down by strong ultraviolet radiation, release chlorine atoms, and then react with ozone molecules. See Ozone Depleting Substance.