Problem

There is a slow, steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total volume of ozone in the ozone layer. There is also a large seasonal reduction in ozone over Antarctica known as the ozone hole. In both cases the ozone is being destroyed by atomic chlorine and bromine as well as hydroxide and nitrous oxides mainly from the use of CFCs which get into the stratosphere.

The ozone layer prevents most harmful UVB wavelengths (270–315 nm) of ultraviolet light from passing through the Earth's atmosphere. The decrease in ozone has generated worldwide concern because where the ozone layer is thin more ultra violet light can pass through. It is suspected that a variety of biological consequences such as increases in skin cancer, damage to plants, and reduction of plankton populations in the ocean's photic zone may result from the increased ultraviolet exposure due to ozone depletion.