Growing Antarctic ozone hole appears early in 2007*

 From correspondents in Geneva

August 29, 2007 01:09am
Article from: Reuters

A growing HOLE in the ozone layer over Antarctica has appeared earlier
than usual in 2007, the UN weather agency said.

The World Meteorological Organisation said it would not be clear for
several weeks whether the ozone hole, which is expected to continue
growing until early October, would be larger than its record size in 2006.

“It is still too early to give a definitive statement about the
development of this year's ozone hole and the degree of ozone loss that
will occur,” the Geneva-based agency said.

"This will, to a large extent, depend on the meteorological conditions."

The ozone layer shields the Earth from damaging ultra-violet rays that
can cause skin cancer.

While use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons has waned, the WMO said
large amounts of chlorine and bromine remain in the atmosphere and would
likely keep causing holes in the protective layer for years to come.

“Although ozone-depleting substances are now declining slowly, there is
no sign that the Antarctic ozone hole is getting smaller,” it said.

The WMO and the UN Environment Program have said the ozone layer would
likely return to pre-1980 levels by 2049 over much of Europe, North
America, Asia, Australasia, Latin America and Africa.

But in Antarctica, the agencies said, ozone layer recovery would likely
be delayed until 2065.