Depletion of Ozone Layer Leveling Off

From America.gov

Depletion of Ozone Layer Leveling Off, New U.S. Study Finds

Observed changes might show improved levels of ozone in atmosphere

Earth's ozone layer is no longer in decline, according to a new global study involving long-term data from satellites and ground stations, although it is still severely depleted after decades of thinning from industrial chemicals in the atmosphere.
According to an August 29 press release from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the team documented a leveling off in the decline of ozone levels between 1996 and 2002, and even measured small increases in some regions.
"The observed changes may be evidence of ozone improvement in the atmosphere," said researcher Betsy Weatherhead, an author of the study funded by NOAA. "But we will have to continue to monitor ozone levels for years to come before we can be confident."
The ozone layer will likely need decades to recover, and it might never stabilize at levels measured before the mid-1970s, when scientists discovered that human-produced chlorine and bromine compounds could destroy ozone and deplete the ozone layer, she said.
The ozone layer of the stratosphere protects Earth from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, including skin cancer and cataracts in humans and damaging effects on ecosystems.
The halt in ozone decline follows the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, a 1987 international agreement to which the United States is a party, which called for phasing out production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere -- chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform. This was accomplished in 2000 for most of the listed substances and in 2004 for methyl chloroform.
Scientists say the primary source of ozone destruction is chlorofluorocarbons, once commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, foam-blowing equipment and industrial cleaning.

Fellow humans, we have a share to make in ensuring that this will go on for our future children's sake.