Ozone depleting substances

This site will answer many of your questions concerning ozone depleting substances (ODS) in Ontario and the effect the ODS regulations may have on you as a citizen and/or business person.
 

The Air Policy and Climate Change Branch

For two decades, scientists have been warning that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons (bromine-containing fluorocarbons) may deplete the stratospheric ozone shield that screens the earth from some of the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.  Increased radiation could result in an increase in skin cancers, suppression of the human immune system, and decreased productivity of terrestrial and aquatic organisms, including some commercially important crops.  CFCs have been widely used as refrigerants, solvents, foam blowing agents and, outside the United States, as aerosol propellants; halons are used primarily as firefighting agents.

In September 1987, 47 countries agreed to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  This agreement initiated controls on the world's consumption of ozone depleting substances.  More than 120 countries have now signed on to the protocol.  The phase-down schedule in the Montreal Protocol has been accelerated twice.  The completed phase-out of halon production occurred at the end of 1994 and for CFC production at the end of 1995.  The protocol's coverage has also been extended to include hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFCs) and other substances such as solvents that contain chlorine and bromine, and methyl bromide, a widely used soil fumigant.

At their meeting in Vienna (December 1995), the parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to phase-down the use of HCFCs in developing countries and to phase-out production of methyl bromide in developed countries by 2010, to cap its production in developing countries in 2002, and to revisit the role of methyl bromide in developing countries in 1997.  The United States has not ratified the Vienna adjustments.

About one-third of the demand for the primary ozone depleting substances(ODS) has been eliminated through conservation.  Another one-third has been replaced by changes to ozone friendly technologies.  The remaining one-third, largely in air conditioning, refrigeration, and rigid foam blowing, is being transferred to substitute substances such as HCFCs (which have one percent to 10 percent of the ozone depleting potential of CFCs and are also on a schedule to be phased-out by 2030), HFCs (some of which have significant global warming potentials) and light hydrocarbons (which are flammable and tend to be less energy efficient).

The Air Policy and Climate Change Branch of the Ministry of the Environment is responsible for the development of policies and programs which will improve and protect Ontario's air quality.  The branch accordingly is concerned about substances which deplete the ozone layer.  Examples of such substances are CFCs (i.e., the chemicals in some cars' air conditioners), halons (the chemicals in fire extinguishers), HCFCs and HFCs .  It is the commitment of the governments of Ontario, Canada and the international community to eventually eliminate the use of  these harmful chemicals.  The branch also takes the lead on a variety of issues including smog, acid rain, inhalable and respirable particulate issues and leads Ontario's position on climate change and other activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.