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I am only 14 so please don't criticize me too harshly. From what I have understood from my teachers is that our ozone layer helps deflect harmful Ultra Violet Rays and that currently our ozone layer is being destroyed by chlorofluorocarbons(CFC's)were emitted by humans.

In the early 60's the effects of them were not known and they were used in many products and it takes approximately 50 years for the CFC's to travel to our ozone layer. When CFC's penetrate through the ozone layer they ley harmful ultra violet rays in which can damage our body's and during prolonged exposure may cause cancer.

As I have understood using CFC's that will be emitted is banned everywhere except for in third world country's. If we also halt CFC's from being unleashed into the atmosphere in third world country's then I think that it would decrease the cases of cancer in general drastically.

Thank you for reading this far and if I am misunderstood about any of these statements please correct me in the comments.

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The problem of CFCs damaging the ozone layer was recognised many years ago in advanced western countries, and they were soon banned and replaced with other more environment friendly gases. There was an ozone hole over the Antarctic which advanced and receded with the seasons. It is still there, but smaller than it used to be. To some extent it is a natural event caused by bromine compounds arising from the sea, but made worse by the advent of CFCs. It is no longer a major problem and is not expected to get worse, as CFCs are being used less and less.. You are right about too much ultraviolet being bad for our health, but too little can also be bad, because it encourages a bone disorder called rickets. I used to overdo the sunbathing when I was young, but now I keep it to sensible levels. I didn't get skin cancer, but you're right, a lot of people do. However, excessive sunbathing and use of sunbeds is only one cause of cancer. There are many other cancers besides skin cancer, and they are nearly all due to unhealthy lifestyles and therefore nearly all preventable.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for the additional information Michael. I know that there are other types of cancer and there are bigger fish too fry but are the holes in the ozone layer still a problem? I did notice that you said that it is not much of a concern but if we halted the use of CFC's everywhere then in 50 years give or take would it positively contribute to the environment? $\endgroup$
    – Zachary Wells
    Commented Aug 1, 2019 at 22:04
  • $\begingroup$ It would be a good thing to continue the war against CFCs, but the war is already largely won. Because it is partly a natural phenomenon there will probably always be a small, seasonal ozone hole over the Antarctic. To talk of a hole is a bit misleading, it's more of a thinning of the ozone layer rather than an actual hole. People don't do much sunbathing at the South Pole, so it is not really a problem there. We need to avid too much sunbathing, but not avoid it completely. Best to avoid sunbeds entirely. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Walsby
    Commented Aug 1, 2019 at 22:25
  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for clarifying Michael! $\endgroup$
    – Zachary Wells
    Commented Aug 2, 2019 at 20:40

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