What is the theme for Ozone Day 2007?
S.D., India

The theme for Ozone day this year is "Celebrating 20 Years of Progress in 2007." For further information on ozone day activities visit our webpages: http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction/events/20thanniversary.htm and http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction/events/ozoneday/2007_events.htm

Where does the ozone layer exist?
M.S., India

The ozone layer exists between 15-50 kms of the earth's surface. It is here that about 90% of all ozone is formed, through a natural process of destruction of ozone into oxygen and reformation of ozone from oxygen atoms, is concentrated. Even in the ozone layer, ozone is present in very small quantities; its maximum concentration, at a height of about 17-25 kilometers, is only ten parts per million.

We want to show a video film and invite a resource person to our school to sensitize students to the issue of Ozone Depletion and what children can do about it.
J.A., India

You may contact Dr. A.Duraisamy, Director (Ozone Cell), India or Mr. R.Srinivas, Project Coordinator-PMU, India. They are coordinating national activities relating to Montreal Protocol and would be able to guide you on suitable local resource persons. The Ozone Cell website address is www.ozonecell.com.

Please note the following website address relating to an education pack which could be used by teachers to teach children on Ozone Layer Protection and causes and consequences of Ozone Depletion.
http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction/information/educationpack.htm.

For video films, you could get in touch with the Ozone Cell, India, who could provide you with a general film on Ozone Layer protection and a recently released video film - "Are we there yet?" highlighting experiences of six individuals who are in the South Asian region on Ozone Layer Protection and the implementation of measures to phaseout ozone depleting substances.

Also, an excellent tool for children on ozone layer protection is the Ozzy Ozone video which you can down load from our website: http://www.unep.fr/ozonaction/information/video/ozzy.htm#english.

Whether ODS alone having the potential to react with ozone or some other chemicals or substances, if so what are they?
S.R., India

There are some other gases that could influence stratospheric ozone abundances. Such gases have increased in the stratosphere as a result of human activities. Important examples are methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which react to form water vapor and reactive hydrogen and nitrogen oxides, respectively, in the stratosphere.
These reactive products also participate in the production and loss balance of stratospheric ozone. The overall effect of these other gases on ozone is much smaller than that caused by increases in chlorine- and bromine-containing gases from human activities. For more information, you may like to visit the Ozone Secretariat site to review the 20 questions and answers about the ozone layer at:
http://ozone.unep.org/Frequently_Asked_Questions/sapfaq2002.pdf. Question 7 of " What emissions from human activities lead to ozone depletion?" could provide you with more information.

Further, discovery of ODS may be ongoing and more substances may be included as Ozone Depleting in nature and controlled through the Montreal Protocol and its amendments - though the number of such instances expected in the current time frame is low.

From the information available as of date, planting trees does not have a direct impact on reducing Ozone Depletion.

I want to know about R22 phase out for India.
S.A., India

The original phaseout dates for R-22 consumption and production was 2040 with freeze from the year 2016. However, in the 19th Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol held in Montreal in September 2007, the phaseout dates for HCFCs have been advanced. We request you to stay in touch with the Ozone Cell, India to understand how the latest Montreal Protocol schedules are being reflected in national regulations in India. (Website of Ozone Cell, India - www.ozonecell.com)

My question is about the simple steps we can take at home
to prevent ozone depletion. Are there any simple steps we can take
personally?
A.T., India

The first step is to stop purchasing Ozone Depleting Substances using products in normal household applications such as refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, foam products and clearning substances etc. You could demand from the seller that he confirms that the products do not use technologies using Ozone Depleting substances (specifically for refrigerators, freezers and car a/c). Second is to ensure that the equipment/substances using Ozone Depleting Substances already available with you, are used in a manner whereby emissions are minimised / eliminated, wherever feasible.

Recovery and recycling of ODSs wherever possible will also help in your contribution to reducing emissions of ODS.

Be Ozone Friendly is a flyer that will provide you with some actions that different types of individuals can take to participate in ozone layer protection.

Be Ozone Friendly

The HFCs which are replacing the HCFCs have GWP's high enough
to make them unacceptable even in the intermediate term. The European Union has already moved to force replacement of R134a by 2012. R134a has a GWP of 1400. R410a which is replacing R22 in many applications in the USA has a GWP of almost 2000. Several refrigerant manufacturers have already stated they will have drop-in replacements ready for R134a by the 2012 deadline. What is the holdup in bringing to market refrigerants that both are ozone and global warming friendly? Shouldn't this be a priority now?
J.M., USA

As you have indicated, the ideal situation would be to adopt ozone and climate friendly gases. The main factor affecting fast adoption of such technologies is cost effective alternatives and supportive measures for fast track adoption of such alternatives by industry. This also needs to be viewed in the context wherein industry has just gone through a technology change process wherein they have moved from ODS technologies to more Ozone Friendly technologies.

Identification of cost effective technology option together with their fast track adoption needs to be a priority today. It is heartening to note that, increasingly, climate and ozone friendly alternatives are being developed & adopted and markets are gearing up towards this. There are some replacements for HFCs commercially viable in the marketplace, e.g. CO2 and hydrocarbons (HC). There are reports indicating possible usage of CO2 in MACs (e.g., recent announcement by BMW on adoption of CO2 based technology for the car air-conditioners). Hydrocarbons are also already in use in refrigeration sector in developing countries. (e.g., Godrej (India)).It must also be noted that breakthrough technologies for HCFCs in most sectors are still under development.

Where in New York can people obtain licence for Ac-Universal Licence?
J.G., USA

With regards to your question, we request you to contact Mr. Thomas Land, USEPA, whose coordinates are given below.

Mr. Thomas Land
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1310 L Street, NW
Washington DC 20005
Tel: 1 202 343 9185, 9410
Fax: 1 202 343 2363
Email: land.tom@epamail.epa.gov

What are the sensitive ozone layer depleting substances in India?
A.R, India

We understand that your question relates to information on substances that are Ozone Depleting used in India. CFC-11, CFC-12, Halons, CTC, Methyl Chloroform, HCFCs and Methyl Bromide are the major Ozone Depleting substances used in India in different end use applications. If you need specific information on their end-use applications, kindly check with Ozone Cell website (www.ozonecell.com) or contact concerned staff members in Ozone Cell, New Delhi, India.