Depletion Of The Ozone Layer

Depletion of the Ozone Layer

The issue of whether the people of the world have exaggerated the threat of the ozone

depletion has been widely debated. It is an important issue because it concerns health

and well being now and tomorrow. A variety of different arguments have been put forward

about this issue. Because air pollution is greatly affecting the ozone, America needs to

take immediate steps to stop ozone depletion. This essay will examine different arguments

concerning the ozone layer.

Ozone is a highly irritant gas, which is formed in our atmosphere in the presence of

sunlight from other air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. These

"precusor" pollutants, which cause the formation of ozone, are emitted by pollution

sources. The adverse health consequences of breathing ozone at levels below the current

U.S. National ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) of 120 parts per billion are serious

and well documented. Observational epidemiology studies have shown compelling and

consistent evidence of adverse effects by ozone below the current standards. Considering

the published results from various cities, the EPA analysis under predicts the

respiratory hospital admission benefits of their proposed regulations. Airway

inflammation in the lung is among the serious effects that have been demonstrated by

controlled human studies of the ozone at levels typically experienced by most Americans.

Exposures to ozone and particulate matter air pollution have been