Question

The United States banned chlorofluorocarbons in aerosol cans. These actions became a global movement and let to an international agreement on the ban. Which environmental concern were governments directly addressing by eliminating the use of chlorofluorocarbons in aerosol cans?

Answer 1

Answer:

depletion of the ozone layer

Explanation:

The environmental concern caused by chlorofluorocarbon is the destruction to the ozone layer.

The ozone layer is a layer of the stratosphere that absorbs some of the harmful radiation that otherwise would have the reached the earth, causing health issues to living organisms. Specifically, the ozone acts as a shield that prevents harmful UV rays from getting to the earth.

When chlorofluorocarbon is attacked by UV ray, it leads to the production of chlorine atom at the stratospheric layer of the earth. The free chlorine atom is capable of reacting with one of the oxygen atoms in ozone, destroying it and leaving only oxygen molecule.

At the end of the day, a single chlorine atom is capable of destroying thousands of ozone molecules, gradually removing the shield that serves as protection to the living organisms on earth.