Report Says Ozone Hole May Disappear by 2050
May 22, 2006 — By Associated Press
TOKYO — The ozone hole over the Antarctic is likely to begin contracting in the
future and may disappear by 2050 because of a reduction in the release of
chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting gases, according to a team of
Japanese scientists.
The findings are based on a series of numerical simulations carried out by Eiji
Akiyoshi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, near Tokyo, using
projected emissions of chlorofluorocarbons and other gases blamed for the ozone
hole.
According to a report posted Friday on the institute's Web site, the hole is at
its largest now but is likely to gradually start contracting around 2020 and
disappear by around 2050.
The team's findings are in line with research by other scientists.
Some, however, have suggested the hole won't heal until much later because old
refrigerators and air-conditioning systems -- many in the United States and
Canada -- are still releasing ozone-killing chemicals. Both countries curbed
those chemicals in newer products.
Satellites and ground stations have been monitoring the ozone hole over the
South Pole since its discovery in the 1980s.
Chlorofluorocarbon levels in the earth's atmosphere have been declining since
the mid-1990s due to international efforts to reduce emissions.
Source: Associated Press