Earth's sunscreen – the ozone layer

Activity 4

Analysing the reduction of use of CFCs in Australia

The use of CFCs in Australia for 1989-1995 is shown below.

Year 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Quantity of CFCs (in tonnes) 14 000 8 000 7 000 6 000 5 300 3 900 2 800
  1. Discuss the factors that you think might have been involved in successfully reducing CFC use.
  2. Have the changes needed to reduce the CFC use made much difference to your lifestyle?
  3. Why are governments more reluctant to legislate to reduce carbon dioxide emissions than they were to reduce CFC use?

Teachers notes

  1. Factors involved in the successful reduction of CFC use may include:

    • the ability to substitute other compounds for CFCs (eg, as refrigerants or spray-can propellants);
    • the guidelines of the Montreal Protocol, resulting in legislation in Australia restricting CFC production and use;
    • reviewable targets that are achievable;
    • voluntary action often occurs if industry and the public are informed for a genuine threat to public health and the environment (eg, the high risk of melanoma and the links with ultraviolet radiation);
    • government controls and economic incentives to industry;
    • changes to government purchasing policies;
    • some commercial organisations see advantages in reducing CFC use and publicising their environmentally friendly actions.
  2. Most students would probably say that the switch from CFCs had not affected their lifestyles since, in most cases, alternative, ozone-friendlier compounds have been substituted (eg, hydrocarbons in spray-cans).
  3. Governments are usually reluctant to make decisions that would have an adverse effect on current lifestyles and standards of living
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Posted February 1997.