Ozone Hole Shrinking Over Antarctica

According to NASA and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) due to the warmer weather, the ozone hole has measured its smallest size on record over Antarctica.  This has happened three times in the last 40 years where the weather conditions have caused the ozone depletion to slow.  Even though this is good news it is not a sign that the atmospheric ozone is on its way to full recovery.  While the world is now cooperating to get the ozone layer healing it is still in a danger zone.

If we lose the good ozone layer in the atmosphere humans and animals will start to have an increased risk of skin cancer and ailments such as cataracts.  The bad ozone hole is the pollution caused by man and is the cause of most respiratory ailments.  China is a major cause of the disappearing ozone layer by using banned chemical emissions.

The thinning of the Earths ozone layer was first discovered back in the 1970’s because of the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).  CFCs are used in aerosol sprays and in refrigerators.  The Montreal Protocol treaty from the late 1980s,  made it so companies were limited to producing CFCs around the world.  Most countries – 196 who signed the treaty – are now producing products that have safer alternatives for spray cans and refrigerators.

By the year 2070 scientists are hoping to see the ozone hole that is close to the planet to shrink in size because of the CFCs ban.  The atmospheric ozone layer is still declining.