Government
Regulation
The depletion of the ozone layer
is one of the most prominent issues today that is truly global. As such, it
required the whole world to come together to work out some sort of action to be
taken. Most efforts would be useless in the long run unless everyone
cooperated. When the problem first arose, governments of the world came
together to decide what sort of restrictions should and could be made to work
towards a solution. The first meeting, the Montreal Protocol, occurred in 1987.
Since then, countries throughout the world have come together and worked
individually to solve the problem.
Montreal
Protocol
1987 Meeting
When in first met in 1987,
24 countries came together to set standards for phasing out of ozone depleting
chemicals. These chemicals, which are commonly used as refrigerants and
propellants, cause serious damage to the ozone layer. A schedule was set up for
technologically developed countries to set regulations for the amount of CFCs
(chlorofluorocarbons) that could be produced each year, gradually reducing the
amount each year until they had been reduced to 50% in the year 2000. For
less-developed countries, they would have the same schedule but ten years
later.
Source: http://www.albany.edu/faculty/rgk/atm101/ozone.htm
1990 Meeting
It quickly became evident
that a faster phase-out schedule would be feasible. The Montreal Protocol met
again in 1990, this time with 93 countries in attendance. Rates of allowed CFC
production were drastically reduced across the schedule, and now CFCs would be
completely out of production in developed nations by the year 2000. In addition
to CFCs, other ozone depleting chemicals (ODCs) were added to the phase-out
list. These included halons, carbontetraflouride, methyl chloroform, and HCFCs.
With the much higher level of attendence, this meeting grabbed the public eye
and influenced independent legislation in countries.
Other Montreal Requirements
The Protocol met again on
several occasions, including Copenhagen in 1992 and Vienna in 1995. Other
restrictions that were incorporated into the Protocol dealt with the proper
disposal of CFCs. Presently (2002), all ODCs except HCFCs should be completely
out of production in developed nations. Developing nations still have 1-3
years, depending on the chemical, to complete the phase-out. This leads to illegal smuggling of these chemicals into the
developed nations.
In the U.S.: The Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act was
originally passed in 1963. It expanded upon air pollution legislation from
1955, but was significantly added to in 1970. Issues dealing with acid rain,
motor emissions, and other topics were added to the scope of the bill. One of
the most important issues added was that of ozone layer depletion and
protection. In the bill, the United States set up for herself a faster timeline
than that suggested by the Montreal Protocol for the phase-out of the
production of CFCs and other ODCs (see chart). It also set up programs for CFC
recycling. The Act incorporated Americans into the process by requiring
products containing ODCs to be labeled as such. This allowed consumers to be
more conscious about what they were doing, and gave them a hand in speeding up
the phase out process by financially supporting companies which chose
alternatives. The Act also encouraged research into ODC alternative that were
effective and affordable.
The European Community also
set up a faster timeline for themselves in 1994.
Source: http://www.afeas.org/montreal_protocol.html
Sources
Alternate
Fluorocarbons Environmental Acceptability Study. “Montreal Protocol on
Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.”
http://www.afeas.org/montreal_protocol.html [25 April 2002].
Encyclopedia of the
Atmospheric Environment. Ozone Depletion, “Legislation.” http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/eae/Ozone_Depletion/Older/Legislation.html
[25 April 2002].
Greenpeace. Full
of Holes: The Montreal Protocol and the Continuing Destruction of the Ozone
Layer, “IF the production of ozone depleting substances stops (it has
not).” http://www.greenpeace.org/~ozone/holes/1hole.html [25 April 2002].
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