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New Ozone-Destroying Gases Discovered 14 March 14

Ozone hole
Source: Common Dreams
A "very worrying" discovery of four new ozone-destroying gases have left University of East Anglia scientists concerned about potential global implications. Their publication in Nature Geoscience compared current air samples with air samples from archival "polar firm" snow in Greenland. This comparison led to the identification and discovery of three new chlorofluorocarbon gases (CFCs) and one hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) gas. Two of the four gases were found to be significantly increasing in concentration.

"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", stated lead author Dr. Johannes Laube from UEA's School of Environmental Sciences.

Studies lead the scientists to predict that roughly 74,000 tonnes of all four chemicals combined were released before 2012 and were not present in the atmosphere before the 1960's. This leads to the assumption the chemicals are manmade. The sources of the chemicals have not yet been identified.

"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." said Dr. Laube.

View March 10, 2014 Common Dreams article
View March 10, 2014 The Economic Times article
View March 10, 2014 Discovery News article
View March 9, 2014 Reuters article
Source: Common Dreams
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