THE ozone Layer, the atmosphere’s shield of protection from the sun’s harmful rays, appears to be recovering from the gaping hole burned in it by humans and their use of aerosol canisters and other pollutants, scientists are reporting.

In Jamaica, head of the Ozone Unit at the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Nicol Walker, told the Jamaica Observer that, though the projection for a full recovery is “many, many years” off, some progress has been observed.

“Scientists who are part of the Montreal Protocol have found that, since we have started phasing out ozone-depleting substances, there has actually been a recovery of the ozone layer, and the projection is that if we continue with the phase-out targets and stop using ozone-depleting substances, there should be a full recovery,” she said.

The news comes on the heels of International Ozone Day, observed around the world yesterday, September 16.

Concentrated attention fell on the ozone layer after scientists observed a hole in the layer about Antarctica. The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was subsequently drafted and entered into force in 1985, with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer following in 1989.

Jamaica became party to the latter in 1993, pledging, like all the other parties, to stop using ozone-depleting substances, over time, with a view to repairing the breach.

“The ozone layer acts as the earth’s umbrella,” Walker explained. “So it protects us and the environment from the sun’s harmful rays, specifically the ultraviolet (UV) B rays, which are the harmful ones. It filters those rays.

“The ozone-depleting substances, which are man-made, when released, cause a chemical reaction with the ozone molecules in the ozone layer and basically depletes or destroys the layer,” she said.

The effect of that depletion in the layer manifests in more UV exposure, which can lead to more cases of skin cancer, rashes, sunburn and premature aging of skin. It can also cause increased risk of cataracts, blindness, and other eye conditions. In addition, the radiation also weakens the immune system, making the body less able to fight viral and bacterial attacks.

Among the substances that are most harmful, according to NEPA, are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)– used as a refrigerant in chillers, refrigerators, car air-conditioning units, and propellants in aerosol cans; hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) — substitutes for CFCs known to have lower ozone-depleting potential than CFCs; carbon tetrachloride; methyl chloroform (phased out in 2007 with exemption); halons (bromofluorocarbons or BFCs) (phased out in 2002, except for fire extinguishers; methyl bromide (to be phased out in 2009) used as a pesticide (fumigant.

The two projects the Ozone Unit now manages are the HCFC Phase-Out Management Plan Implementation Project and the Institutional Strengthening Project, which are both financed by developed countries under the Multilateral Fund. For the current financial year, $6 million is allocated for the former, while approximately $5.8 million is earmarked for the latter. Under those projects, the targeted substances are HCFCs and methyl bromide and, as Walker puts it, Jamaica is in full compliance with its obligations.

The baseline or starting point for HCFCs, up to January 1, 2013, was 268.24 metric tonnes. The amount imported in 2013 was 49.42 metric tonnes.

“So we are well below the baseline,” Walker told the Observer.

By January 1, 2015, the baseline consumption should be down by 10 per cent; 35 per cent by January 1, 2020; and 67.5% by January 1, 2025. By January 1, 2030 the country should only import 2.5 per cent of the baseline consumption, and zero by January 1, 2040.

For methyl bromide, which is to be phased out by January 1, 2015, the amount imported in 2013 was 3.6 metric tonnes.

“Internationally, alternatives started to be used prior to 2013, so you’ll find that the motor cars that we import, the A/C units that we import no longer use HCFCs. They’re using ozone-friendly and climate-friendly substances,” Walker said, suggesting that the country would have no difficulty meeting the targets.

The biggest challenge, she said, is getting people to buy in to the alternatives.

“So how we are approaching that is to through education, and we have a series of training workshops for technical managers and refrigeration technicians.

But there is some resistance.

“Generally, there is some reluctance to spending money to make money, so getting persons to buy in to the fact that they need modern tools moving forward (is a challenge). Some of the tools some of them use are from 20 years ago when they did their first training; some never did any updated training,” the head of the Ozone Unit said.

She maintained, however, that the unit was not daunted, but was rather dedicated to continuing with its education and training programmes.

The unit also trains Customs officers on the use of refrigerant identifiers so that they can effectively bar banned substances from entering the country.