7. Ozone layer protection

Lead Papers 

Germain Dufour, MD. Hasibur Rahman
 

Md. Hasibur Rahman explained that strastopheric ozone layer inhibits to enter the dangerous Ultra Violet (UV) rays of the sun to the earth's surface. Ozone layer is working as an umbrella to protect the life on earth from the adverse impacts of lethal radiation of the sun. Man-made some harmful chemicals are causing depletion of the ozone layer, the hope of survival of life on earth the only habitat of human being. With the depletion of ozone layer more solar radiation (UV-B) will reach to earth's biosphere that will effects on human health, ecosystem and climate change.

Introduction

Earth's atmosphere is divided into several layers on the basis of temperature and gaseous variation. The lower portion of the atmosphere is called troposphere, it is usually extends up to 12 km from the earth surface. Above the tropopause there is a stable layer of air that usually extends up to 50 km from the earth's surface is called stratosphere. The vertical distribution of the ozone extends roughly between 15 to 50 km above the earth's surface and about 25 km with a maximum concentration of (5x1012) molecules per cubic centimeter. The existence of this thin shield of a relatively highest concentration of a poisonous gas  "Ozone" in the stratosphere is called the "Ozone Layer". The average depth of this layer is about 2.5-3.0 mm. In the earth atmosphere a negligible quantity of ozone found but it creates air pollution and causes health hazardous. Ozone presents in the stratosphere layer as a vital layer to filtrate and efficiently screens out almost all the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. According to the wavelength category ultraviolet radiation can be classified into three types: UV-A (315-400nm), UV-B (290-315nm) and UV-C (200-280nm). Relatively shorter wavelength radiation is more harmful to living organisms. However, the UV-C from the sun is completely absorbed by the stratospheric ozone. Even though little depletion of ozone layer can almost totally screened out UV-C radiation. The longer wavelength UV-A is relatively harmless. The middle wavelength UV-B, less lethal than shorter wave radiation also absorbs most of all but due to little depletion of stratospheric ozone it enters to the earth atmosphere in large quantity and causes dangerous impacts on human health and ecosystem. The rate of entry increase is said to be approximately 2% for every 1% decrease of ozone concentration of the stratosphere.

The Ozone layer of the Earth is an important physical characteristic of our environment that protects life from the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Several different substances affect the capacity of the layer from blocking these rays.

Dufour explained that An Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODS) is a chemical compound that is sufficiently stable to reach the stratosphere and is capable of reacting with stratospheric ozone, leading to ozone depletion.

The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer is an international treaty that was ratified by 24 nations in 1987 that allows the continued trade of recycled halons (i.e., those produced before January 1, 1994). The Montreal Protocol does not prescribe restrictions on the use of any ODS; however, the Montreal Protocol does call upon Parties to make best efforts to control unnecessary emissions.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) provides the legal basis for Canadian compliance with the requirements of the Montreal Protocol. There are two regulations under the Act:

a. The Ozone-depleting Substances Regulations (ODS  Regulations), SOR/95-576, December 7, 1995 ; and
b. The Ozone-depleting Substances Products Regulations (ODS Products Regulations), SOR/95-584, December 13, 1995.
c. The former prohibits the manufacture of ODS's (such as halons) in Canada, and prescribe
restrictions on the importation of ODS's (such as halons) into Canada. The latter prohibits the use
of ODS's in specific applications.

Several provincial legislatures have established environmental requirements for ozone-depleting substances, including halons. In addition to these legal requirements, industry and trade associations also establish standards for the management of various substances within their fields.

Since 1987, the federal government has initiated several regulatory projects to reduce or eliminate the use of ozone-depleting-substances in Canada. These projects have targeted manufacturers, importers or users of these substances.  One such project is The Canadian Environmental Protection Act Ozone-depleting Substances Regulation designed  to eliminate the production and importation of CFCs as of January 1, 1996.

Federal ODS Regulations control the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale, import and export of ozone depleting substances. Federal ODS Regulations do not restrain the use of ODS in Canada. Regulations applies to the production and importation of ODS.

Several federal government officials were contacted and have confirmed that:

* No permits are required to use any equipment containing ODSs;
* The intent of the Regulations is controlling emissions not replacing existing systems;
* Most developing countries no longer produce ODSs; the only way we can use ODSs is through recycling; users will eventually find that there will be less and less equipment making use of ODSs and that the equipment will be more expensive to purchase;
* Users of ODS should also contact provincial authorities for further information on purchase, use, reuse, and release of ODS;
* As well, the Act and its Regulation has provisions related to the servicing of equipment which may contain ozone-depleting substances (refrigeration and air conditioning equipment and other equipment which contains ozone-depleting substances);  servicing procedures must also conform to the requirements specified in the Environment Canada "Code of Practice for Reduction of Chlorofluorocarbon Emissions from Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems." Persons servicing equipment which contains ozone-depleting substances are required to have training in accordance with the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act and its regulations.

The release of air emissions exceeding or contrary to the limits set in this regulation are reportable in accordance with the substance release provisions of the Act. Regulatory offences and penalties are set out in this regulation, with a maximum fine for individuals of $50,000 and $500,000 for corporations.

ODS Federal - Provincial Government Officals were contacted. It was found  that

(A) The federal government position was to create a Strategy on ODS and to make sure that all federal buildings and facilities across Canada would be phasing out ODS; and
(B) The Defence Department was stocking all cylinders containing ODS for its own uses and purposes at a later date; the Government of Canada has a lot of equipment with ODS and stocking cylinders would protect future needs.

If you happen to have a Fire Extinguishing System with a cylinder containing Halon1301, the disposal of halons should be decided in advance and be performed in a manner that does not endanger the environment (through unnecessary releases to the atmosphere). Chem-Security (Alberta) Ltd., with the Alberta Special Waste Management System in Swan Hills, was contacted to estimate the cost of destroying  the Halon 1301 cylinder. It was found that Chem-Security was unable to destroy  the ODS. They have never destroyed ODS because they are not equipped to do so. They said they could not take the cylinder.

Government officials were called back and told  that it was not surprising that Chem-Security had not destroyed  the Halon cylinder or  any other ODS container because no one in Canada can do it. It has never been done in this country. Even though ODS  will make their way to the Ozone layer and destroy the atmosphere of the Earth, everybody prefers to recycle ODS.

 So far only one U.S. company was found to have the capacity of destroying the ODS. Inspectors from the company are willing to come to Canada to start the procedure of taking away the Halon 1301 cylinder and having the gas destroyed but for a high cost.

 More ODS are at this moment slowly  making their way to the Ozone layer (it can take years for ODS to get there). If we do not stop recycling ODS, most recycled ODS, if not destroyed now, will eventually make their way to the Ozone layer and destroy it. It makes no sense that the federal and  provincial governments, and the industry, are not doing anything about this (except on paper with long and expensive strategies and phasing out plans). Thousand of kilograms of ODS stockpiled by governments and the industry will eventually make their way to the Ozone layer and destroy it.

Basic principles of sustainable development require that we do all possible to protect Earth and its atmosphere from being damaged beyond repairs. Certainly there are other options.

It is proposed here that incentives should be given to any individual or organization to take an ODS containing cylinder to a federal government owned storage facility where it can be destroyed and rendered harmless. It should be made easy for anyone wanting to have the ODS destroyed.

Anyone consciously contributing good to the evolution of the planet deserves encouragement.