Glossary O
Deutsch: Ozonabbauend / Español: Agotamiento del ozono / Português: Destruição do ozônio / Français: Appauvrissement de l'ozone / Italiano: Distruzione dell'ozono
Ozone-depleting in the environment context refers to substances or activities that contribute to the reduction of the ozone layer in the Earth's stratosphere. The ozone layer is crucial for life on Earth as it absorbs the majority of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and other health problems in humans and animals, and has adverse effects on plants and ecosystems. Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) include a range of chemical compounds, most notably chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, and methyl bromide, which release chlorine or bromine when they break down in the stratosphere, thereby destroying ozone molecules.