Destruction of the Earth's Ozone Layer

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCS) are chemical compounds made up of molecules that contain atoms of chlorine and fluorine bonded to carbon atoms. CFCs are used in a number of applications, the most common of which are in automotive air conditioners, in the blowing of plastic foam products, and as solvents in electronic component manufacturing. Ozone is a special form of oxygen which combines three oxygen atoms into O3. Ozone in the Earth's upper atmosphere serves as a shield from harmful ultra violet solar radiation by reflecting the rays back into space.



When CFCs are released into the air, here's what happens: the molecules work their way upward in the atmosphere slowly, taking as long as ten years to reach the middle stratosphere, 20 to 40 kilometers above the surface of the earth, where the "ozone layer" resides. The CFC molecules are bombarded by ultra violet light from the sun, which tends to break the chemical bonds that hold chlorine and fluorine to the carbon. The fluorine atoms can combine with moisture to form acids. When the chlorine breaks away, it becomes a chemical "catalyst," which means that it can cause chemical reactions to occur rapidly. Thus, a chlorine atom can break the chemical bonds that hold O3 together and O3 becomes O2 and O. It is now no longer "ozone" and it no longer has its reflective quality to turn ultra violet radiation away from the earth. Given the right conditions, the chlorine from one CFC molecule could destroy up to 100,000 ozone molecules.



A Dangerous Trend

By the most reliable estimates, the total ozone level in the Earth's upper atmosphere decreased about 2.5% between 1978 and 1985. A 1% loss of ozone results in an estimated 2% increase in the amount of ultraviolet radiation (UV) that reaches the surface of the earth. This has dangerous implications for life as we know it. A 2% increase in UV will increase the number of human deaths from skin cancer by approximately 5%. UV also increases
the number of eye cataracts, causes damage to the human immune system, damages crops and marine life.
The Montreal Protocol

An agreement, called the Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987 by representatives of 31 countries including the United States, limits world production of CFCs to 1986 levels and calls for further reductions of 50% by 1999. Another International Conference will be held in June, 1990, with the likelihood that the schedule for a complete phase-out of CFCs will occur even earlier. This means that the supply of R12 refrigerant will decrease dramatically over the next few years and the cost will increase.

Recycling Makes Good Sense

It's already established that making sure CFCs are not vented to the atmosphere is essential for the environment. With the supply of R12 decreasing and the cost increasing, recycling all of the refrigerant you remove from vehicles during repairs or before a vehicle is crushed will make more and more economic sense.