Four New Ozone Depleting Gases Found in Atmosphere

Four new ozone-killing gases have been found in the atmosphere. The new gases found, three chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and one hydro-chlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), seem to be man-made since they where not around until the 1960s.

Lead researcher Dr Johannes Laube from UEA's School of Environmental Sciences said: "Our research has shown four gases that were not around in the atmosphere at all until the 1960s which suggests they are man-made."

"CFCs are the main cause of the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Laws to reduce and phase out CFCs came into force in 1989, followed by a total ban in 2010. This has resulted in successfully reducing the production of many of these compounds on a global scale. However, legislation loopholes still allow some usage for exempted purposes."

"The identification of these four new gases is very worrying as they will contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer. We don't know where the new gases are being emitted from and this should be investigated. Possible sources include feedstock chemicals for insecticide production and solvents for cleaning electronic components."

"What's more, the three CFCs are being destroyed very slowly in the atmosphere - so even if emissions were to stop immediately, they will still be around for many decades to come," he added.