This Paint Stripper Chemical Could Set Ozone Recovery Back Decades

In this day and age most people know that using aerosol propellents contributes to ozone depletion. Well, except if youre this guy. According to new research there is one chemical whose production has been on the rise in recent years and scientists aren’t sure why. This rapid rise could mean the restoration of our precious ozone layer could be delayed up to 30 years.

In 1987 the international Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was created in response to data that demonstrated Antarcticas rapid loss of ozone would translate to a devastating global impact. The treaty was successful in outlawing cloroflourocarbons (CFCs)those pesky chemicals used as propellants in hairspray and other productsand the Antarctic region has been on the mend ever since. Projections for this hole in the ozone to completely be restored were set between the years 2050 and 2070that is, until this new research emerged.

A chemical called dichloromethane was found to have increased by 8 percent every year between the years of 2004 and 2014, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. This substance is used in paint strippers, industrial solvents, polyurethane foams, andyou guessed itas an aerosol propellent. The reason dichloromethane wasnt included in the Montreal protocols original ban was because it tends to break down very quickly in Earths atmosphere. Compared to CFCs taking up to centuries to disappear, this chemical was seen as a drop in the bucket.

The strange, recent uptick in this chemicals production is leaving scientists worried, however. The fact that it breaks down quickly doesnt do us much good if there is much more of the substance in the atmosphere than before. Researchers project the timeline for ozone restoration could be pushed back to the year 2090 if there arent measures taken to reduce the amount of dichloromethane productionand soon.

The Montreal protocol has proved very effective at reducing the emissions of substances that can harm the ozone layer, Johnathan Shanklin, one of the scientists who discovered the Antarctics ozone hole in 1985 told The Guardian. I am sure that the warning made in this paper will be heeded and that dichloromethane will be brought within the protocol in order to prevent further damage to the ozone layer.

Because the Montreal protocol is relatively young in the grand scheme of things, improvements and revisions will continue to be made as more data on the state of our atmosphere is collected. Researchers involved with the study are encouraging more thorough, long-term analysis of ozone-depleting gases for the purposes of expanding the protocol and protecting our future.

Photo credit: Thinkstock

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Link: 

This Paint Stripper Chemical Could Set Ozone Recovery Back Decades

This entry was posted in FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, PUR, Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.