5.6.1 to 5.6.4 Refer to Biozone handout Stratospheric Ozone Depletion

5.6.1 Layers of the Earth’s atmosphere – click on this link to identify the structure and composition of the Earth’s atmosphere. Can you define atmosphere?

Class notes: 5.6.2+ Stratos Ozone BZ

Starter questions for this topic:

• What is ozone? How can ozone be ‘good’ and ‘bad’?
• Is ozone a renewable resource or non-renewable? [links with topic 3]
• How does the ozone system work? [links with topic 1: inputs, outputs, processes, equilibrium]
• What are halogens? Can you provide examples? What are halogenated organic gases (also called halocarbons)?
• What happens when CFCs and methyl bromide meet UV radiation? How can you relate this to the ozone system?
• What is monatomic oxygen?
• Why is there concern about ozone depletion?

5.6.5 Greenfreeze is a method which can be used to reduce the manufacture and release of harmful ozone-depleting refrigerants

Greenfreeze is Greenpeace’s market-proven environmentally-friendly refrigeration technology that doesn’t release greenhouse gases. In Africa, SolarChill is a program that distributes fridges — powered with solar panels — to families for food preservation and to health clinics for vaccine and medical storage. What type of pollution solution does the greenfreeze represent?

5.6.5 Method for reducing the manufacture and release of ODS

Rentokil is the  company that the College uses as an alternative to ‘fogging’. The staff uses the water-based formula to ‘fog’ the campus grounds weekly rather than using methyl bromide fumigants. What type of solution pollution is this?

5.6.6 Describe and evaluate the role of national and international organisations in reducing the emissions of ozone-depleting substances…

• Examine the role of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in forging international agreements (for example, the Montreal Protocol and subsequent updates) on the use of ozone-depleting substances,
• andstudy the relative effectiveness of these agreements and the difficulties in implementing and enforcing them.
• In addition, students should be familiar with what steps national governments are taking to comply with these agreements.

Click here to be re-directed to the UNEP Ozone Secretariat

Role and duties: http://ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/about_the_secretariat.php

Montreal Protocol and subsequent updates:

• Vienna Convention (1985) – 
• Montreal Protocol (1987) – 
• London Amendment (1990) – 
• Copenhagen Amendment (1992) – 
• Montreal Amendment (1997) –
• Beijing Amendment (1999) –

[Click on the NEA logo above to be taken to read about what steps Singapore is taking fo comply with the agreements of the Montreal Protocol…]