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Region 7 Stratospheric Ozone Program

In the 1970s, scientists first grew concerned that certain chemicals could damage the Earth's protective ozone layer. In the early 1980s, these concerns were validated by the discovery that the ozone layer in the stratosphere over Antarctica was thinning. While the ozone did not completely disappear in this area, it was so thin that scientists and the popular press started talking about an "ozone hole".

A compromised ozone layer, and the resulting increase in ultraviolet (UV) radiation hitting the Earth's surface, can have serious consequences. Overexposure to UV radiation in humans can cause a range of health and environmental effects, including skin damage (skin cancers and premature aging), eye damage (including cataracts), and suppression of the immune system. Scientific studies also suggest a link between ultraviolet radiation and adverse effects on some animal and plant life and some plastic materials.

Because of the risks posed by ozone depletion, leaders from many countries crafted the landmark environmental treaty, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The Protocol's chief aim is to reduce and eventually eliminate the production and use of man-made ozone depleting substances (ODS). By agreeing to the terms of the Montreal Protocol, signatory nations, including the United States, committed to take actions to protect the ozone layer, hoping in the long-term to reverse the damage that had been done by the use of ozone depleting substances.

To carry out the goals established by the Montreal Protocol, EPA implements and enforces a number of regulatory programs. These programs, authorized under Title VI of the Clean Air Act, seek to:

• end the production of ozone-depleting substances


• ensure that refrigerants and halon fire extinguishing agents are recycled properly


• identify safe and effective alternatives to ozone-depleting substances


• ban the release of ozone-depleting refrigerants during the service, maintenance, and disposal of air conditioners and other refrigeration equipment, and


• require that manufacturers label products either containing or made with the most harmful ODS.

For more information about the program, please give us a call or use the links in "Ozone Layer Protection Program" and "Useful Links" boxes above.

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