Since the early 1970s scientist have been watching a hole grow in the ozone layer.  And because of this ozone problem, over 150 countries agreed to stop the production of CFCs.  This agreement, signed in the late 1980s, is known as the Montreal Protocol.   In 1990, President Bush signed the Clean Air Act which empowered the EPA to set forth and enforce rules and regulations regarding CFCs.

CFCs destroy the ozone layer. The ozone layer (in the stratosphere, between 10 - 30 miles above the earth's surface) keeps 95 - 99% of the sun's ultraviolet radiation (UV) from striking the earth.  The ozone layer is made up of O3 molecules (three oxygen molecules bound together).  When one CFC (i.e., R-12) molecule is struck by sunlight it releases a chlorine atom.  The chlorine atom and ozone (O3) molecules set off a chain reaction.  Once the reaction is complete, that one chlorine atom has just destroyed 100,000 molecules of ozone from our atmosphere.

When the protective ozone is destroyed, UV rays become stronger and more harmful to plants and animals.  Increased exposure to UV radiation is partially responsible for the alarming increase in skin cancer - the rate of which is tenfold higher today than it was in the 1950's.  And according to the National Academy of Sciences, for each 1 percent decline in ozone levels, humans will suffer as much as 2 to 3 percent increase in the incidence of certain skin cancers.

 

To protect the ozone, we developed new refrigerants, such as R134a to take the place of R12.

Tags: A/C Systems and Service, Refrigerants, ozone, stratosphere