What is the Ozone Layer? specialized oxygen that protects the Earth’s surface from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. It prevents the living organisms, like humans, from getting skin cancer due to the UV radiation.
Main Substances that are depleting the ozone layer Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Main reason for why the ozone layer is depleting. This organic compound contains carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. Can be found in coolants used in refrigerators, air conditioners,and/or freezers that are in buildings or cars that were made before 1995; solvents, drycleaning agents, hospital sterilants, and foam products like mattresses (softfoam padding) and home insulations (rigid foam).
Antarctica In Antarctica, there is an ozone hole which is caused by the outcome of pollutants in the atmosphere that is destroying the stratospheric ozone. During Antarctic winters, strong circular winds form that blow all around the continent. This is known as the “polar vortex”. It isolates the air over Antarctica from the rest of the world. After the polar vortex, Polar Stratospheric Clouds start to form. Normally, clouds don’t form in the stratosphere. These special clouds is a result of concentrating the pollutants that break down the ozone.
Montreal Protocol An international treaty that’s designed to protect the ozone layer by eliminating the production of various substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. This is a protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. This protocol was effective on the first of January of 1989 only if 11 states approved of it by then. It the authorization 20 states and 46 signatories to sign.
Vienna Convention of the Ozone Layer Multilateral Environmental Agreement. It acts as a plan for the international efforts to protect the ozone layer. However, this agreement does not include the legal requirement to reduce the goals for the use of CFCs. It was signed on March 22, 1985 with 28 signatories and 197 approvals.
Layers of the Earth’s atmosphere: Where is the Ozone Layer’s place? Troposphere : 8 to 14.4 km (5 to 9 miles) high, starting from the Earth’s surface. Most dense. Stratosphere :Starting from the tropopause, it’s 50 km (31 miles) high. The ozone layer is also in the layer. Mesosphere : 85 km (53 miles) high from the stratopause. Meteors burn up this layer. Thermosphere : Extends 600 km (372 miles) from the mesopause. Aurora and satellites are in the layer. Ionosphere : Largest layer that has electrons and ionized atoms and molecules. This layer is 48 km (30 miles) above to the edge of space. Starting from the stratopause, it’s about 965 km (600 miles). This layer overlaps the Mesosphere and Thermosphere.
Exosphere : Most upper layer of the atmosphere. From the top of the thermopause, it stretches up to 10,000 km (6,200 miles).
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Actions Individuals Can Take and what we can do to prevent this Try to use products labelled “Ozone Friendly” products that are say that it contains no CFCs → ecofriendly products (e.g.Green Works, ecofriendly hairspray) When repairing your refrigerator or air conditioner, make sure that your technicians recycle and recover old CFCs so that they are not released into the atmosphere → properly dispose refrigerators, air conditioners, and freezers that were made before 1995 Do regular check ups on your car’s air conditioning incase there are any CFC leaks Replace halon fire extinguishers with alternatives (e.g. pressurized water). Halon fire extinguishers are illegal but are used by the Police Armed Services and Aircraft To make the ozone layer depletion known as a major problem, schools can make activities to increase the awareness of it Avoid using cars if that’s possible. Use public transit or carpool Stay clear of insecticides and pesticides Understand what the Montreal Protocol and how the ozone layer depletion making an impact on our planet
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http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/globalcfcproduction_83db
This graph shows the production of CFCs from 1950 to about 1992. Production started dropping after the Montreal Protocol was enforced in 1987. Production and mean life time
Use
Delay in release to the atmosphere
Lifetime in the atmosphere (mean)
CFC 11
Aerosol spray cans, 6 months to 20 years solvent, foam blowing agents
57 to 105 years Means: 74 years
CFC 12
Refrigerators, air conditioners, foam blowing agents
6 months to 20 years
67 to 333 years Mean: 111 years
CFC 113
Cleaning solvents for manufacturing processes and electronic components
Not announced
136 to 195 years Mean: not announced
CFC 14
Cleaning agents
Not announced
Not annouced