The EPA should ban four newly discovered chemicals that deplete the ozone but may slip through a legal loophole.
The ozone hole over Antarctica has been gradually healing since an international treaty began limiting the production of ozone-depleting chemicals in 1989, and a total ban went into place in 2010.
Loopholes allow trace amounts of the chemicals to be used in the production of certain products, including insecticides and solvents. These loopholes were once thought to be insignificant, but they have allowed more than 74,000 metric tons of three previously unknown CFCs, and one related compound known as an HCFC, to be released into the atmosphere.
Ask the EPA to ban these chemicals to close this loophole and allow the hole in the ozone to continue healing.
Dear Madam,
We the undersigned ask that you ban four newly discovered chemicals that deplete the ozone but may slip through a legal loophole.
The ozone hole over Antarctica has been gradually healing since an international treaty began limiting the production of ozone-depleting chemicals in 1989, and a total ban went into place in 2010.
Loopholes allow trace amounts of the chemicals to be used in the production of certain products, including insecticides and solvents. These loopholes were once thought to be insignificant, but they have allowed more than 74,000 metric tons of three previously unknown CFCs, and one related compound known as an HCFC, to be released into the atmosphere.
Ban these chemicals to close this loophole and allow the hole in the ozone to continue healing.
