Cfcs And The Ozone Layer (Report)

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) put the whole planet at risk. CFCs are chemical gases that were used in many products to improve people's lives. CFCs cooled refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners. They were also used to propel substances out of aerosol spray cans. They sprayed fire retardant foam out of fire extinguishers. They helped people with asthma breathe easier by way of inhalers.

All of these useful products, however, came with a world-class risk. Scientists measuring chemicals in the stratosphere found that CFCs were damaging the ozone layer. The ozone layer protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. Continued damage to the ozone layer could put human health and the environment at risk.

In 1987, many countries agreed to stop producing CFCs by the year 2000. In 1990, an amendment to the agreement, called the Montreal Protocol, brought the total to 56 nations. Then, in 1992, 87 countries agreed to ban CFC production by 1996. An organization called the Multilateral Fund provides money for developing countries to reduce CFC use. Meanwhile, scientists have found substitutes for CFCs. These new materials will reduce the damage to the ozone layer, but they cost more to produce and are currently in limited supply. However, thanks to this research, production and use of CFCs have decreased. Most scientists agree that the ozone layer will recover in time.

Atmospheric ozone encircles the globe, providing a protective barrier against harmful solar UVB radiation for all living things on the earth's surface. Life appeared on the earth's surface only after this thin protective layer of ozone developed. Without this protective layer of ozone in the stratosphere, UVB radiation causes a variety of health problems for most living things, like skin cancers, cataracts, changes in plant growth rates, form, and development. It can also change the orientation and motility in phytoplankton