Fewer substances that damage the ozone are released into the atmosphere * Concentration of news on the topic of the hole in the ozone since the early XNUMXs
Zafarir Rinat
The international agreements to address the hole in the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from dangerous solar radiation, are beginning to yield results. According to an estimate published by the UN a few days ago, in the last three years there has been a decrease in the amount of substances that are released into the atmosphere and damage the ozone. Yet,
The situation of the ozone layer continues to be difficult, but it is expected to gradually improve after 2010.
The UN assessment is the most authoritative that can be obtained today on the situation of the hole in the ozone layer. It is based on the conclusions of a large team of scientists on behalf of the United Nations
Led by the French researcher, Prof. Gerard Magee. The team not only gathers current information
On the state of ozone in several layers of the atmosphere but also on how it is filled
the agreements concerning his protection.
Ozone, found in the stratosphere layer of the atmosphere, protects the Earth
from potentially fatal ultraviolet radiation. Its very existence made it possible
The development of life on Earth. The evidence of its depletion began to arrive
in the 70s and finally restored in the 80s
The scientists then determined that industrial chemicals (mainly chlorine-based substances
and bromine) that are emitted into the atmosphere, pass through a lower layer called
troposphere and after reaching a high altitude they destroy the ozone molecules
in the stratosphere, creating a kind of big hole in the ozone - mainly above the pole
the southern The main damage is caused by a group of substances known as chlorofluorocarbons
(CFC). It is not a permanent thinning but a seasonal one (between September and December),
which is affected by the climate conditions and the intensity of solar radiation that determine the rate of impact
in ozone
After the seriousness of the situation became clear, in 1987 the UN formulated an international agreement for a solution
The so-called "Montreal Protocol" problem. Over the years, amendments were added to the agreement
various that established schedules for stopping the production of harmful substances or for replacing some of them
In others - your exposure to ozone is lower. Today there are 96 materials available on them
Use and production restrictions within the framework of the various agreements. However, the effect of the agreements
will be felt only in a few years since large amounts of ozone-depleting substances,
that were released in the past, are still in the air and it will be years before they reach the layer
the ozone.
According to the new report, in the last decade a process of acute seasonal depletion continued
of the ozone above the South Pole (mainly in the Antarctic region), which reached the rate
of 70-40% of the thickness of the ozone layer before the hole began to form. reached its peak
The hole is about 30 million square kilometers in size - three times the area of
U.S. In the Arctic region, the rate of ozone depletion is lower and reaches rates
of about 30% less than its thickness before the formation of the hole. The scientists agree among themselves that
Over this area it is not expected that a hole will develop in the future on the scale that exists over Antarctica.
This is because of the difference in climatic conditions.
The UN scientists focused especially on the concentrations of ozone-depleting substances present
in the different layers of the atmosphere. It turned out that the level of chlorine and bromine continued to increase
In the layer where the ozone is also found, and according to the scientists is approaching the highest level
measured to date. The reason for this is the continued movement of materials that were mainly emitted over the years
that before the implementation of the international agreements.
The changes that indicate the effectiveness of the international agreements are mainly evident in the layers
the lower parts of the atmosphere. In these layers there was a decrease of about 5% in concentration
Chlorine compared to its concentration in 1994-1992. In addition, there was a decrease of about one third in the rate
The annual growth of bromine concentrations.
At the same time, in these layers, a constant increase in the concentrations of a group of substances called
. These HCFCs are substances defined as replacements for ozone-depleting substances used
in which it is prohibited or limited for periods of time according to the Montreal Protocol.
The effect of the ozone hole on the intensity of ultraviolet radiation was manifested in an increase of
14-6% in the radiation intensity at several sites in the atmosphere where a sample test was conducted.
However, it is difficult to estimate how much the intensity of radiation on the surface of the earth has increased since then
And there are many variables that can affect the radiation such as clouds that block it
or covering the ground surface which may in some cases reflect some of the radiation.
"The Montreal Protocol is working well. If the countries of the world continue to act on it
The ozone layer will fully recover by the middle of the century, when the process will begin approx
At the end of the decade," said Prof. Magee. "Until then, this layer will remain in a sensitive state."
Following the publication of the scientists' findings, the UN also reported on progress in contacts with
Developing countries, such as Indonesia and China, towards reducing their use and production
of ozone depleting substances and finding substitutes for these substances. to these countries
According to the agreements, it is allowed to use ozone-depleting substances for a longer time
than is allowed to developed countries because of their economic limitations. Last week, for example,
The UN announced that it had reached agreements on reducing the production of depleting substances
Ozone with companies in India. The four largest manufacturers in this country
are supposed to stop the production of these materials by 2010
Zafarir Rinat
Illegal trade in ozone depleting substances
The international environmental organization, the "Environmental Investigation Agency", also conducts investigations in the field of ozone protection. Recently, the organization exposed the illegal trade of ozone-depleting substances on a large scale in the Southeast Asian region.
The organization reported that countries such as India and Nepal are managing to reduce the production of ozone-depleting substances in their territory, as they pledged. However, large amounts of illegally smuggled harmful substances reach them from other countries. The agency's researchers discovered that at the border crossings, any vehicle - from cars to rickshaws - is used to smuggle the materials used for essential products such as refrigerators. The agency proposed establishing an international task force to combat the illegal trade to allow the ozone layer to recover.
NASA: "Dramatic decrease in the ozone layer."
11/11/2000
The hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic region has spread to a size equal to three times the area of the United States. This was announced yesterday (Friday) by the American space agency, NASA. Since the last inspection, in September 98, the rift has grown by about one million square kilometers, and is now 28.3 million square kilometers in size.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva also issued a report yesterday, confirming a dramatic decrease in the ozone layer. "The latest observations raise concerns about the fragility of the ozone layer," said Dr. Michael Curillo, director of upper atmosphere research at NASA. "Although the production of gases harmful to the ozone layer has been cut following international agreements, the concentration of gases in the stratosphere is only now reaching its peak," he added.
Most of the ozone layer is between 9.5 km and 29 km above the earth's surface. The layer protects the generation from ultraviolet radiation that comes from the sun.
A hole the size of the US over Antarctica
NASA claims that the hole observed over Antarctica was caused by the use of ozone-depleting chemicals and a strong northerly wind that hit the continent
Wed Oct 4, 2000 15:36 pm
NASA scientists claim to have located the largest hole in the ozone ever observed. The hole is three times larger than the surface of the United States. In a report published on the subject, NASA personnel claim that the diameter of the hole discovered by the NASA satellite is 11.5 million miles. According to them, the hole caused a significant thinning of the ozone layer over the Antarctic continent already last month.
The scientists claim that the enormous damage was caused by a combination of a number of chemical substances used by humans, which are harmful to the ozone plus an upper layer of wind called the "Polar Vortex" that hit the Antarctic continent this year, and was stronger than usual, until it managed to affect the size of the ozone. NASA states that although efforts are being made to improve the atmospheric layer, the current damage is caused by other chemicals that were used in the more distant past, due to their ability to remain in the atmosphere for more than a decade.
In 1987, the Montreal Convention was signed, the goal of which was to gradually eliminate the production of chemicals that damage the ozone layer. Damage to the ozone allows the harmful rays of the sun to penetrate into the earth, and causes, among other things, an increase in skin cancer cases.
Residents in Chile were told to stay indoors because of the ozone
12-10-2000
Health authorities said the radiation levels would cause exposed skin to burn in just seven minutes
News agencies
The Chilean authorities have warned the residents of the south of the country against exposure to the sun, due to
Report on dangerous levels of ultraviolet radiation, resulting
From the expansion of the hole in the ozone in the region - which reaches the greatest depth that has been measured
15 year.
The health authorities told the BBC television network that the radiation levels
will cause exposed skin to burn in just seven minutes. 120 thousand inhabitants
The city of Punta Arenas was instructed not to leave the house between 11 am
to 3 in the afternoon," said Lydia Amarales, Chile's Minister of Health.
"Those who have to leave their house must apply cream with a high sun protection factor,
wear anti-radiation sunglasses, wear wide-brimmed hats and dress
Long-sleeved clothes," Amarlas said.
"Haaretz" service
{Appeared in Haaretz newspaper, 12/10/2000{
Why did the ozone hole open above the poles?
The hotter it gets, the colder it gets
By Andrew Rabkin
The hole in the ozone over Antarctica. Purple shades: the smallest amount of ozone
(a hole); Yellow-orange: amount of ozone greater than normal; Shades of green: quantity
normal; Blue tones: a smaller amount than normal
Every spring a hole opens in the ozone layer above the South Pole. But in the spring
The latter, scientists claim, the hole formed earlier and was the largest
Since then, the use of satellites began to monitor the atmosphere. This finding provoked
Again the suspicion of the scientists, that global warming contributes indirectly
to the chemical reactions that destroy the ozone. However many of them still are
They claim that it is possible that the rate of growth of the hole is affected by natural changes, if
because unusual, in the weather and other conditions.
At the beginning of September, a few weeks before he usually arrives in his territory
The maximum, the hole expanded to a record of about 44 million square kilometers, a larger area
From that of North America - this is according to the data of the Atmospheric Administration
and the National Oceans in the USA. For comparison, in 1981 the area of the hole was
Only 2.33 million square kilometers.
Since it reached its peak size, the hole, whose shape is shaped by the spirits, has spread
which blows around the earth and changes every day, to the southern end of
South America, as happened several times in the last decade.
Referring to the data of the year and '96 and '98, some of the atmospheric scientists
They express astonishment at the persistence of the phenomenon, which is generally caused by a result
From a reaction between ozone and a group of synthetic chemicals,
that their use is prohibited and their concentration in the air is reduced.
The hole in the ozone is being closely monitored. The transparent ozone layer
In the atmosphere - molecules consisting of three oxygen atoms - is this
which absorbs the ultraviolet rays. Rays, if they come
to the earth, may cause the development of skin cancer and cataracts
and threaten agriculture and ecosystems.
The annual hole in the ozone layer is a decades-old legacy of emissions of
A group of synthetic chemical substances, mainly CFCs, that destroy the ozone
in the presence of sunlight. These chemicals were common in the past
in sprays, refrigerators and fire extinguishing agents. Their use has ceased
As part of voluntary measures by the industrial sector and following a protocol
Montreal from .1987
In the early 80s, when scientists first reported the destruction that CFC
may cause ozone, there were those who believed that its effect would be mainly noticeable
In the upper layers of the atmosphere above the tropics, this is due to radiation
the strong sun
But in 1985, British scientists discovered the huge gaping hole in the layer
The ozone every spring and summer over Antarctica. "It was the surprise of the century,"
said Dr. Michael Proffitt, chief scientist of the Meteorological Organization
World in Geneva. From studies done later it emerged that it destroyed the ozone layer
It is mainly visible over Antarctica, and to a lesser extent over the Pole
the northern The reason for this is the extremely low temperatures,
The causes of the formation of icy particle clouds in the stratosphere, on the way
Rule at a height of between 14.5 and 19 km above the ground, which increase the
The intensity of the chemical reaction.
Profit and other scientists argue that while carbon dioxide and gases
Other industrial heat insulators cause the layers of the atmosphere to warm
The low ones, they work in the opposite way in the stratosphere - they cause it
emit more heat to the outer space and thus it gets colder than usual.
Another reason for the atmospheric cooling is simply a decrease in quantity
the ozone. Without ozone, this layer of the atmosphere does not absorb the energy
coming from the sun, which further cools the thin air.
According to Proffitt, the colder the air in the higher layers the more crystals form
More ice clouds. More ice clouds mean the CFCs and chemicals
Others that cause ozone destruction work more effectively. according to him,
Measurements of the temperature in the stratosphere, made in October at five
The last few years have indicated the existence of a particularly large area, which is cold
enough to cause the formation of ozone-depleting ice clouds. Although
This, according to Proffitt, is too early to definitively state that the warming trend
The general global is responsible for the cooling in the upper layers, and therefore
Also for the growth of the hole in the ozone.
Other atmospheric scientists agree that in the next decades the future
The hole in the ozone will change a lot, and may even grow before the ban
the global on the use of CFC and other ozone depleting chemicals
will give its signals, will lead to the reduction of concentrations and the ozone layer
She will fill herself above the poles.
According to Dr. Michael Curillo, Director of Upper Atmosphere Research
At NASA, unexpected changes in the weather over the poles will have an impact
In this period more than anything else about the state of the ozone layer.
(Originally published on 10.10)
New York Times
The beginning of the end, at the end of the world
In the Chilean port city of Punta Arenas, the world can see what lies ahead
If the governments do nothing against the depletion of the ozone layer. here she is
reaches its peak and endangers the lives of the residents
By Don McKean, Salon Magazine,
Punta Arenas, Chile
The beginning of the end, at the end of the world
In the Chilean port city of Punta Arenas, the world can see what lies ahead
If the governments do nothing against the depletion of the ozone layer. here she is
reaches its peak and endangers the lives of the residents
By Don McKean
Living room magazine
Punta Arenas, Chile
Hundreds of four-year-olds wrapped in puffy winter coats held hands
and marched eagerly to the hall at the folk school. Although the temperature has reached
Barely 7 degrees, the kindergarten children came to the place to learn about the dangers of the sun.
Paul the penguin, a toy that serves as a kind of mascot and transforms to a height of 2.1
meters, appeared on stage accompanied by two friends in beach clothes. They warned
him because the sun will turn his skin red, but if he applies himself early
The defense is created and he will be able to play outside. After the show, my children stood up again
Protect the line to receive free samples of courtesy bottles
The cosmetics company that produces them. They looked like giggling children throughout
place in the world. But they are not like that.
The festive setting was a striking contrast to the painful reason that led to their gathering.
Like the "bend down and take cover" exercises in classrooms in the United States during the period
The crisis in Cuba (in preparation for a nuclear attack), the lesson that took place in the same
Today he taught a generation of children in the southern tip of Chile how to survive under
The ever expanding ozone hole created by the world.
Welcome to Punta Arenas, in the era of the disappearing ozone. City
The port, which has 120 thousand people and is located at the southern latitude, 53
lies directly under the hole in the earth's ozone layer. what
What is happening here is similar to an uncontrolled experiment that got out of control and exposed humans
in their natural environment for a long-term lethal dose of rays
Ultraviolet.
It may be years before the full cost is known: vision problems and cancer
the skin So far the rest of the world has watched from afar, complacent in its belief that to a large extent
Deal with the problem. But scientists fear that in the future also regions
Those further away from the two poles may be harmed by the depletion of the ozone layer.
One can find many contradictions in the small town. Many days in September
And October - the days of spring in the southern half of the world, when you lay down
The ozone is the thinnest - city officials warn the residents
Stay at home between 11 am and 3 pm or risk burns
severity But most of them don't listen. The regional health minister appeared
at official events and boasted a deep tan from a short ski trip
Before. People complain about the ecological disaster he has inflicted on them
the world, and then they accept that many critics pay too much attention
to the problem. Doctors ask patients to wear solid protective caps to
To withstand the strong wind here, but know that these hats are a must
to look attractive for fashion-conscious Chileans to wear
them.
Although scientists previously thought they knew how to treat the problem, the hole
Ozone reached its largest dimensions so far in September of this year - 28
square kilometers, an area three times the size of the United States.
In Punta Arenas, residents are exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation
40% larger than usual.
Concerned Chilean officials are asking the international community to help
Funding research on the effect of ozone depletion on ecosystems
and human health. But the officials are also worried, because of the request for assistance
Hurts their pride and the feeling that they can do everything themselves. "Me like
The guy in the Jerry Maguire movie who says 'Show me the money! Show me
The money!'" said Rodrigo Alvarez, a congressman from the Magellan area,
that Punta Arenas resides in it. "This is a problem we did not create, there is responsibility
Internationally about this region – Australia, Argentina, Chile. the hole
Ozone is created by the whole world."
Ozone resides in the stratosphere, more than 16 miles above the surface of the globe
Country. Because it absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation that destroys the
DNA, it allows life to thrive on Earth. Scientists discovered the hole
In 1982 they linked this to the widespread use of man-made chemicals
in products such as sprays, electric refrigerators and solvents. Once the materials
The goddesses are freed and ascend to the stratosphere, where sunlight makes them
break down into chlorine and other elements. In the southern peninsula the ozone is thinning
Largely in the spring, because the rising temperatures and the presence of crystals
Ice above the polar stratospheric clouds facilitate the chemical reactions
The complexity between the ozone molecules and the emitted chemicals.
In 1997, more than 140 countries signed the Montreal Protocol, including
Agreed to phase out the use of these chemicals. However, because
It takes years before they get high enough to start causing
damage, scientists estimate that it will take years before the ozone layer can
regenerate and return to its natural state.
But recently evidence is accumulating that global warming can also cause
to ozone depletion. Scientists think that one of the main reasons for warming
Globalization is the human use of non-renewable energy sources.
In their opinion, many of the strange ecological and climatic phenomena of the years
The latest - such as the high temperatures and shrinking of the ice caps at the poles
- can be attributed to global warming.
According to a report recently published by the UN's intergovernmental panel for changes
Climatically, average global temperatures could rise by about 6
degrees Celsius in the next century. This means that ozone depletion can
get worse before it gets better. "The word means a really dry and hot world
In many areas, extreme weather is frightening," said Arjun McKizni,
Chairman of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research located in Maryland.
So far, the problem has mainly affected wide swaths of the southern hemisphere.
In some respects the situation may be worse in places like
Australia and New Zealand, where the high temperatures encourage many
Spend a lot of time outside in minimal clothing. Some researchers predict a “creep of
The ozone hole" as the century progresses. Jonathan Shanklin, one of the scientists
who discovered the ozone hole above the South Pole, announced in November that the hole
Two over the North Pole, smaller now, may reach the size of
The southern hole until around 2020 due to global warming.
Some scientists fear that the ozone layer may become thinner at all
Earth, not just at the poles. This can be extremely dangerous
In places like Miami and San Diego, since areas are close to the equator
Already experimenting with relatively high natural rates of radiation without dilution
the ozone. But further thinning of the ozone layer could push these cities,
Those who live in the sun belt, to the danger zone.
In view of the stark differences in environmental policy between Al Gore and George V.
Bush, the election in the United States could have a big impact on the situation.
The fate of the ozone layer was not at issue in the presidential race, however
Global warming came up for discussion. Unlike Gore, who pledged to sign on
The 1997 Kyoto Convention calls on countries to reduce their use of fuel
To curb global warming, George W. Bush opposes the treaty
And claims, contrary to the available evidence, that the reasons are still unknown
to warming and what will be its effect.
This influence can be evidenced by the appearance of Nelson Pardes, who sat behind the registration desk at the public hospital in Punta Arenas one cold Sunday afternoon. Pardes, the hospital's supply manager, looks older than his 48 years. His face is covered in spots and you can see pieces of natural skin in them
Coffee colored next to large white scars. He explained that one sunny day in October 1999 he attended a sporting event and stayed outside for four hours.
At night he felt that his face was burning. "I couldn't open my eyes, they were so inflamed," he said. "This kind of thing has never happened before."
When an orchard burned, he turned to Dr. Jaime Aversa, a dermatologist at the public hospital in Punta Arenas. Pardes was one of 31 patients who went to the doctor for burns that year. In the previous 13 years, Aversa said, usually only one person came a season because of burns. "Not only here in Punta Arenas, but in the rest of the world we will have more cases of skin cancer because of the depletion of the ozone," said the doctor. "This is what happens after 50 years of harsh exposure to the sun."
The touch of the sun at Punta Arenas is pleasant, but its late effects are severe. Although I have always applied SPF 45 cream to my skin since I arrived there, two days later my skin was slightly burnt.
The local health minister, Lydia Amarals, received meager resources - only $30 per year from the regional government - to educate residents about awareness. "You can't give everyone sunscreen in Punta Arenas because it's expensive," Amarals said. "We have other priorities such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, youth health and mental health and respiratory diseases." Amarals focuses its efforts on what it calls "education and prevention", but its policy does not boil down to much more than issuing warnings to residents to protect themselves by applying sunscreen, many of whom cannot afford to purchase it, and by wearing wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses.
Since the beginning of 2000 there have been radiation forecasts for a daily section in the newspaper. On the last page you can see a picture of a road sign, the colors of which correspond to the radiation rate that day. From red, the worst, to orange, then yellow and then green. There were 13 red alerts in 2000. A red alert means that the radiation rate is so high that it could cause a burn to some people's skin within five minutes. And yet, if you ask many about the readiness of the colors that day, they don't know. Or they can confidently say that a red alert means a big storm is coming.
"Many will die in the future," says Alvarez, the member of Congress from Haval. "People at the refinery, the fishermen". Alvarez supports a bill according to which public funds will subsidize the price of protective equipment for those who cannot finance its purchase. The goggles cost about 33 dollars here. A protection ointment with a protection factor of 15 costs about 12 dollars.
Every morning, Maria Theresa Argoys, a kindergarten teacher, gets up, applies sunscreen to her skin and reminds her son Daniel, 11, to wear a hat and apply ointment to his skin. She bought him sunglasses, but is afraid to let him take them to school because they are expensive. She is afraid he will break them. And like many children, sometimes he shoves his hat into the backpack.
Argoys is also anxious for her preschoolers. They come in with rosy cheeks after their outdoor play - one child was badly burned recently and had to stay at home for a few days. Her husband Asensio, a factory guard who works most of the day outside, complains of headaches when the sun is particularly strong. Two weeks earlier he returned home and complained of vision problems. "I think it's because of the sun," Argoys said about his right eye, which looked bloodshot. He said he can't afford to go to the doctor until the end of the month, when he gets paid.
"These people are not used to a lot of radiation, and suddenly they are exposed to more," says Dr. Juan Hanniman, head of the department of dermatology at the University of Chile's School of Medicine. "The problem is that now people may get burned - this is the acute effect of ultraviolet radiation." B It is true that there are noticeable health changes in the city's residents, as documented by Heiman in a new study, but the effects were not as severe as expected. He compared
Two studies, one from 1992 and the other from 1999, that examined the health of similar groups. Hanniman found a 28% increase in cheilitis (fissures and cracks around the mouth), a 16.4% increase in conditions such as sunspots and a 3.6% increase in non-malignant skin problems such as strong pigmentation, herpes simplex type 1, premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
A few days after I left Punta Arenas I felt the first sting of a cold and dry sore that formed on the right edge of my upper lip. Is it because I forgot to apply my lip balm after the first day?
Despite my great awareness, I did not behave differently from most of the residents. On the first day I wrapped myself up and looked like an over-anxious mother was dressing me, but gradually my worry disappeared and I walked around as if everything was fine, even though I knew nothing was. I stopped using the hat because the strong wind blew it away, and I got tired of repeatedly moving the sunglasses between my eyes and my purse.
Only a few bother to cover themselves with protective clothing. According to Heineman's latest research, 64% of the residents have never used suntan cream despite the official warnings and 41% have never worn glasses. But he emphasized that he found no noticeable change in the rates of skin cancer or benign cancer. According to Health Minister Amarals, the skin cancer rate is 6.3 per 100 people, but she has no data on the rate ten years ago.
Not everyone can choose whether to be exposed to the sun. How can the farmers stay away from the sun when their animals are spread over thousands of dunams and their working day starts at 7 in the morning and ends at sunset?
What's more, many still don't believe there is a problem. Long before Dolly's 15 minutes of fame, the first cloned sheep, another picture was published showing what happens when you interfere with the actions of Mother Nature - the sheep of Punta Arenas. Reports from local farmers of sheep being blinded by the sun circulated around the world, but they turned out to be untrue.
The false report reinforces the feeling of some residents that the talk about the doomsday of the ozone is nothing but exaggeration. Jürgen Schulmeister, a 45-year-old German, is one of them. He lives on a hilltop outside the city with his Chilean wife and two children. He said: "Ten years ago I saw an article by German scientists in which it was said: 'Yes, there is a big problem and plants and animals will die.' And now I live here and there is no problem with plants, animals, cancer. People work normally, without problems."
Scientists like Heinemann claim that prolonged exposure to the sun is what causes the real damage, and it may be years before the results become noticeable. Until then, people continue their lives, adjust their behavior to the situation - or not - and wonder what the sun will do to them and their children.
{Appeared in Haaretz newspaper, 16/2/2001{
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