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Humans are responsible for the damage done to the ozone layer due to the release of manmade chemicals containing chlorine such as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), compounds containing bromine, other related halogen compounds and also nitrogen oxides. CFC's are a common industrial product, used in refrigeration systems, air conditioners, aerosols, solvents and in the production of some types of packaging. Nitrogen oxides are a by-product of combustion processes. .
At ground level, these molecules seem very harmless, but the truth is that as we release the CFCs, each "harmless" molecule has the capability of destroying up to 10,000 ozone molecules.
Many people do not understand the serious effects of the UV-B radiation, which is basically high energy light rays that can penetrate deeply into water, leaves, and skin. Over the countless years on earth, humans and other living organisms that have been exposed to UV-B have developed some resistance, but the increasing exposure from the hole in the ozone layer causes more damage than our natural defenses can handle. We just can't keep up! .
This over-exposure is leading to such problems as skin cancer, eye damage and cataracts, and the breakdown of our immune system. A person's exposure to UV-B also depends on location (latitude and altitude), the duration and timing of outdoor activities (time of day, season of the year), and precautionary behavior (use of sunscreen, sunglasses, or protective clothing). Skin color and age can also influence the occurrence and severity of some of the health effects. .
A plant's vulnerability to these harmful conditions could result in reduced crop yields, damage to forest ecosystems, alteration in species competition, decrease in photosynthetic activity, susceptibility to disease, and changes in plant structure and pigmentation., .
Extensive research has given scientists an identity to each and every one of the human-produced chemicals that are responsible for the destruction of ozone.