On September 16, 1987, the Montreal Protocol was agreed and signed and later came into force on January 1, 1989. It is an international treaty that was created in order to phase out harmful substances that are responsible for damage to the ozone, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). During the 80’s and before this time, CFC’s were found widely in many different products, including aerosols, solvents, and refrigeration devices and the effects they were having on the environment were starting to show, hence the need to introduce the Montreal Protocol.
Recent studies on the ozone layer over Antarctica show that it is actually on the mend and that the hole itself had shrunk massively by 1.5 million square miles from when it was at its largest in 2000. Researchers are hopeful that if things keep improving at the rate they are currently, then by the 2050’s the ozone hole may have healed completely.
This is exciting times for many, including Susan Solomon, who was one of the scientists pushing for the Montreal Protocol back in 1987. It was her work that demonstrated how CFC’s were able to separate into chlorine and disperse into the atmosphere causing the depletion of the ozone layer. With the reduction of CFC’s, there is less of this contamination happening, resulting in the ozone hole retracting. She is thrilled to see some of the work she dedicated so much of her life to make a real difference to the world.
One thing that we can not control that has an effect on the healing process of the ozone is volcanic eruptions. When eruptions occur they immediately release damaging aerosols into the atmosphere that cause harm to the ozone layer. Although we may not be able to stop the natural processes from occurring, we can certainly change the way the human processes work, and in doing this, we have proved that if we just work together, we really can make a difference.
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