The Danger Of CFCs
The abbreviation CFC stands for ChloroFluoroCarbons, which have been used in various products for many years, predominately refrigerants until the Montreal Protocol banned them in the latter half of the 20th century. In this article, I’d like to explain why.
Firstly, we must understand what Ozone is. The ozone layer is a blanket of O3 formed due to shortwave UV radiation from the sun interacting with O2 in the stratosphere (middle section of the atmosphere that you've probably flown through). O2 molecules get broken apart by UV radiation into two single O atoms. Sad, lonely O atoms look for friendship with other O2 molecules and form O3. Ozone is essential as the stratospheric layer protects the earth from solar radiation (scary sunbeams); interestingly, however, if found in the troposphere (lowest level of the atmosphere that borders the earth's surface), ozone becomes a potent greenhouse gas (spooky ozone). Spooky ozone forms as a result of UV light reacting with nitrous oxides. Unfortunately, nitrous oxide has increased in the atmosphere by 16% since the Industrial Revolution's onset, so spooky ozone will become more of an issue.
CFCs are homewreckers, they see happy O3 molecules, and they break them up. UV radiation laser beams down upon CFC molecules and rips away a chlorine atom (Cl) to produce what is known as a free radical. A free radical is a term for an atom, molecule or ion with a free electron meaning they’re basically horny and want to find some other molecule, atom or ion to get funky with. For a Cl free radical in the stratosphere, they interact with O3 like this:
Cl + O3 → O2 + ClO
ClO + O3 → 2O2 + Cl
In the end, two O3 molecules become three O2 molecules, and the Cl free radical is free to mingle once more with other O3 molecules. The US environmental protection agency states that a single Cl atom could destroy 100 000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. CFCs led to a hole in the Ozone layer being ripped open over Antarctica that is still there to this day. The ozone layer is crucial for the existence of life on Earth; if the ozone suddenly disappeared, humanity would be subject to dangerous UV radiation levels that could cause skin cancer and other unpleasant conditions. As well as this, CFCs are 10 000 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas and have an atmospheric lifespan of 100–200 years.
To quote Dr Malcom from Jurassic Park, when it came to industry, and pollution humanity “were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” However, it’s not all doom and gloom; the Montreal protocol proves that we can come together when it matters and solve a climate crisis. The ozone hole, while not yet shrinking (some cheeky chaps in eastern China decided they needed a bit more time to think about it), the hole in the ozone is no longer growing and, with time and regulation, will heal.
