Ozone Layer

People may believe that the most important environmental issues threatening our world would be human overpopulation, ocean acidification, and pollution. However we are forgetting how important every environmental issue is to our planet and the humans that populate it. Ozone depletion affects both the planet and the people. It is a very serious environmental issue that if not solved can cost us some serious loss. The depletion of our ozone layers and the creation of the ozone hole has occurred since the 1980’s, and it 's only getting worst. The ozone layer is a form of oxygen in the molecular form of O3. It is an unstable gas with a pungent odour, it is bluish and it is located in two parts of the atmosphere: the stratosphere and the

In the late 1970’s scientists concluded that products releasing carbonflourochloride (CFC) was causing the ozone to deplete. The ozone layer is a protective layer from the sun’s rays and depleting the ozone layer allowed the stronger, harmful to health on earth, rays to get through. International action was taken in 1987 and the Montreal Protocol came into being. It was an international treaty to phase out CFC producing products. It went into effect in 1988 and has achieved international success. Once the Montreal Protocol had been agreed to the World Health Organization released information on the harmful effects CFC’s were having on the ozone

Congress amended the Clean Air Act to set national standards for air quality, auto emission and anti-pollution in 1970 as well. In 1971 Congress restricts lead-based paint in homes and on cribs and toys. The EPA bans DDT a carcinogenic pesticide and requires a review of all pesticides in 1972 and Congress passes the Clean Water Act limiting raw sewage and other pollutants in fresh water such as lakes, rivers, and streams. In 1973 the EPA issues its first permit limiting a factory’s polluted discharge into water. In this same year, the OPEC oil embargo triggers an energy crisis which stimulates conservation of fossil fuels and research on alternative fuel sources. Congress passes the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974 which allows the EPA to regulate the quality of public drinking water. Two years later President Gerald Ford signed the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 to reduce environmental and human health risks. This resulted in Congress passing the Resource Conservation Act regulating hazardous waste from its production to its disposal and the EPA begins to phase out carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) production and use. The following year President Jimmy Carter signs the Clean Air Act amendments to strengthen air quality standards and protect people’s health, and the federal government bans chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) the year after that since research found

How do CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons affect Canada’s Ozone layer. To answer this question we first have to understand chlorofluorocarbons and the earth's ozone layer. Chlorofluorocarbons are chemical compounds made up of three chlorine atoms. One fluorine atom and 1 carbon atom. There were many uses for CFCs ranging from, being used as coolants in refrigerants to propellants for aerosols to being used as solvents for dry cleaning. As CFCs are non- flammable and not very toxic we thought they were a revolutionary compound, but unfortunately CFCs were one of the leading causes for the depletion of our ozone layer. ozone is a type of oxygen, an ozone molecule consists of three oxygen atoms whereas a regular oxygen molecule only consists of two.

The ozone layer is in the Earth’s stratosphere and the necessity of this layer is to protect the Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation rays. “Since the late 1970s, an ozone hole has formed over Antarctica each austral spring (September / October), in which up to 66 percent of the total ozone is depleted” (Ozone Layer Protection). What directly causes holes in ozone are Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs), which rapidly damage the ozone layer. However, with the rising global warming temperature the CFCs’ process is catalysed, further damaging the ozone layer. “According to the estimates made by Dasgupta and Bhaumik (1995), it is likely that 10% decrease in ozone will lead to 20% increase in UV irradiance” (Gangul and Iyer 2006). Once an uncontrolled amount of UV radiation is exposed to lifeforms, especially to humans, “According to the estimates made by Vander Leun and De Gruijl (1993), 1% decrease in total stratospheric columnar ozone (SCO) will lead to 2.3% increase in non-melanoma skin cancer, 2% increase in cutaneous melanoma and 0.5% increase in the incidence of cataracts” (Gangul and Iyer 2006). More devastating effects from the depleting ozone layer are more destruction to agricultural fields, warming of oceans and increased acidity which is diminishing the amounts of phytoplankton, which can immensely affect the stability of the food chain. Therefore, the depletion of

Not many people know what global warming or the ozone layer actually is. The ozone layer is a layer in the earth 's stratosphere that absorbs most of the ultra violet rays from the sun. Global warming is the progressive optimization in the overall temperature of the earth 's atmosphere. Carbon dioxide levels have a major effect on the earth’s overall temperature. For 650,000 years the carbon level has fluctuated between 160 and 300 parts per million. 1950 to 2014 is when it immediately skyrocketed to 400 and continues to increase today . About thirty years ago scientists unearthed a hole in the ozone layer. The ozone layer hole is not a complete hole

Ozone also known as O3, is a colorless toxic gas formed by three oxygen atoms. The ozone occurs in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, the stratosphere and in the lower atmosphere, the troposphere. The ozone can affect life in a good or bad way. Good ozone is in the upper atmosphere and occurs naturally, it has a protective layer that helps block harmful ultraviolet rays (EPA.Gov). Stratospheric ozone is formed naturally and it is about 6 through 30 miles above the Earth’s surface and it also reduces the amount of harmful UV rays. Bad ozone is created by chemical reactions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (EPA.Gov). Tropospheric or ground-level ozone is what we breathe and are formed by chemical reactions of NOx and VOCs, these reactions have been viewed by the presence of heat and sunlight, resulting in higher ozone levels in the summer. The purpose of this paper is to identify the difference ozone levels in San

Chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs: These substances are also of concern in connection with the destruction of stratospheric ozone (Chapter 2). Like N2O, they have no tropospheric sinks, but are infrared absorbers. Up to 1984, the tropospheric concentrations of three of the major commercial CFCs...

One of the measures instituted to reduce destructive emissions was the 1987 Montreal Protocol. This international document provided guidelines for the reduction of ozone-damaging chemicals on a timeline that would be helpful for ozone repair. It seems as though the reductions that have already taken place have had beneficial effects. The importance of continuing to follow the

The Ozone layer had been depleting since recently. The hole has started healing itself back due to the banned substances such as Aerosols. The Ozone layer will help block out solar radiation as well as bring climate change to a halt, however, scientists say that a pause in climate change does not mean a complete and forever stop (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3699735/The-Antarctic-COOLING-Region-bounces-ozone-damage-scientists-insist-global-warming-taking-place.html).

The Clean Air Act enforces several programs that protect public health by regulating emission of hazardous air pollutants. These programs focus on many factors designed to improve public health and the environment. One focus includes the reduction of outdoor air pollutants that are responsible for causing acid rain, haze, smog, and other issues. Another requires the progressive elimination of production and use of chemicals proven responsible for depletion of the stratospheric ozone. The CAA also aims to reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants that are suspected or known to cause detrimental health effects, including asthma and cancer. The most serious health risks are associated with two of the six common pollutants: particles and ozone. The efforts of the CAA have led to drastic improvements in the levels of these two pollutants. Between 1980 and 2012, the EPA found that national concentrations of ozone improved by 25%. Particle concentrations began being measured in 2000, and it was found that between 2000 and 2012, fine particle concentrations improved 37% and coarse particle concentrations improved 27% (2015). Due to these improvements, Americans inhale lower amounts of dangerous pollutants, which led to the prevention of 205,000 premature deaths solely in the year 1990 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

CFC is the abbreviation for chlorofluorocarbons which is a group of compounds that are made of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are “Descendants” of methane and ethane and a subdivision of CFC is HCFC which incorporates the element of hydrogen. They are frequently utilized gases in refrigerants and aerosol propellants. About 80% of Canada’s stratosphere has been depleted because of CFC. Chlorofluorocarbon is a pernicious substance towards earth’s ozone layer because chlorine atoms are discharged when unprotected against ultraviolet radiation. Hence, it is being constrained at a high degree to prevent further ozone depletion.

Industrialized countries in the Northern Hemisphere, including but not limited to the United States as well as Europe, have discharged roughly 90 percent of CFCs currently in the atmosphere. These countries did put a ban on CFCs by 1996. It has been shown that the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere is now dwindling. Scientists now estimate it will take an additional 50 years for chlorine levels to rebound to their natural

Why is the ozone layer of much concern to scientists and environmentalists? The ozone layer is quite beneficial to human life and existence. The destruction of this layer has been linked to the now common health conditions such as cancers, skin conditions and cataracts among others. It is apparent that, without the ozone layer, all humanity would be lost to disease.

The Ozone Layer is a region in the Earth’s stratosphere which serves as a protective layer against the sun’s ultraviolet rays and prevents the escape of oxygen (O2) from the