25th Anniversary of Montreal Protocol and 18th International Day for Preservation

of Ozone Layer
Protecting Our Atmoshere for !enerations to come
"ac#grounder
The $ienna %onvention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was signed on 22
March, 1985 and the Montreal Protocol on &u'stances that Delete the Ozone
Layer was signed on 16 September, 1987 to protect the ozone layer
The Montreal !rotocol on S"bstances that #eplete the $zone %ayer has been
recognized as the most s"ccess&"l international en'ironment treaty in history (nother
testimony to its remar)able accomplishments, the Montreal Protocol has received
universal ratification* all countries in the (orld have no( ratified this landmar#
agreement This brings together the whole international comm"nity to protect the ozone
layer
The !rotocol was the c"lmination o& decades o& research, which established that
chemicals containing chlorine and 'romine released in the atmosphere co"ld
damage the ozone layer ( depleted ozone layer in the stratoshere allows the
+ltra'iolet ,+-./0 rays o& the s"n to reach the earth e1posing man)ind, &lora and &a"na
to its harm&"l e&&ects
(ccording to the 2orld 3ealth $rganization, each year between 12 to 15 million people
become blind &rom cataracts worldwide, o& which "pto 245 may be ca"sed or enhanced
by s"n e1pos"re
6nitially on the basis o& 'ery de&inite empirical &indings, the !rotocol en7oined "pon all the
signatory nations to completely phase o"t the ma7or $zone #epleting S"bstances
,$#Ss0 such as %hlorofluorocar'ons )%*%s+, -alons and %ar'on.tetrachloride
)%/%+ in a gi'en time sched"le %ater, other st"dies ha'e bro"ght more $#Ss s"ch as
-ydrochlorofluorocar'ons )-%*%s+ and Methyl."romide "nder the ambit o& the
!rotocol &or phasing o"t within the gi'en deadlines
(s o& 1st 8an"ary, 2414, the prod"ction and cons"mption o& ma7or $#Ss li)e CFCs,
CTC and halons have already been phased out globally
The $#Ss are potent 9reen 3o"se 9ases ,939s0 and these gases were not included
in :yoto bas)et o& gases &or emission controls
6ndia, being a !arty to the -ienna ;on'ention &or the !rotection o& the $zone %ayer and
the Montreal !rotocol on S"bstances that #eplete the $zone %ayer, ha'e been sharing
the global concern &or protecting the ozone layer and phasing o"t o& the $#Ss These
s"bstances are "sed in ind"strial and pharmace"tical aerosols, re&rigeration and air.
conditioning e<"ipments, &oam man"&act"ring, &ire e1ting"ishing e<"ipment, metal.
cleaning, garment cleaning, soil &"migation and <"arantine and pre.shipment
applications etc
"se o& pharmace"tical grade ;=;s in man"&act"ring o& Metered Dose Inhalers )MDIs+
&or treatment o& (sthma, %hronic O'structive Pulmonary Disease )%OPD0 and other
respiratory ailments "nder the >ssential +se ?omination ,>+?0 pro'isions o& the
Montreal !rotocol
@ecognizing the s"ccess o& the Montreal !rotocol in phasing o"t the $#Ss li)e ;T;,
;=; and halons, the 19th Meeting o& the !arties ,M$!0 held in September, 2447 had
ta)en a decision to advance the hase.out of -%*%s 'y 10 years1