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The article focuses on the approval of environment related documents by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in China. Topics include the approval of the Third Biennial Climate Change Report, the announcement on banning the production of thermal insulation pipes and disposable medical devices, and promote green development in industries.

The article warns that despite a global ban on the production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in 2010, concentrations of five ozone-depleting CFCs are increasing rapidly, raising concerns about their sources, as they are likely coming from regions with limited monitoring networks.

The article offers information about the elevated ozone concentrations as associated with increased asthma attacks, hospital admissions, and deaths from respiratory and circulatory disease. It explores how neutralizing ozone reactions impact our health both directly and indirectly through the formation of secondary harmful chemicals, such as aldehydes.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight is well recognised to be the main environmental cause of skin cancer. Sunbeds provide a source of artificial UV light exposure, and their widespread use for cosmetic tanning purposes raises concern about further increases in the already rising levels of skin cancer in the UK. There is evidence that those who have used sunbeds are at increased risk of developing malignant melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. However, no increased risk of basal cell carcinoma or dose-response relationship between sunbed use and skin cancer has as yet been identified. As the common usage of sunbeds has only been in place since the 1980s, there may be a significant lag time before we see the true damage being done by these devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that ozone-destroying chemicals are going the way of dinosaurs. It is a tangled web of tradeoffs to find the best replacements, but one can make it without chlorofluorocarbons. Health threats from the shrinking ozone layer have spawned cooperation among companies, agencies, and countries like virtually no other pollution hazard. Few dispute the destructive capacity of the ozone-depleting compounds that periodically open atmospheric windows to the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. But recent evidence by scientists studying the upper atmosphere from satellites and aircraft has jolted many industries and nations to adopt more urgent deadlines. INSETS: Makers of CFC 'vampires';Databases for CFC replacements.

This article reports that with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) the major cause of stratospheric ozone depletion, government legislation and mounting public pressures are confronting industry with strict deadlines to clean up manufacturing processes. Even as their use decreases, the chlorine levels from CECs already in the atmosphere will increase, says Stephen Andersen, chief of the EPA's technology & economics branch, Washington, D.C. Many CEC producers suggested at the 1987 Montreal Protocol meeting that finding substitutes would require many years and millions of dollars of research. INSET: Why industry must respond.

Highlights issues addressed at the International Conference on Ozone in the Lower Stratosphere, held in Halkidiki, Greece. Winter ozone loss to the Arctic polar regions; Nature of polar stratospheric clouds; Mechanism of the ozone thinning trend in North America, Asia and Europe.

Informs that the CNES French space agency and CNRS French national scientific research center have utilized, in early 1997, long-duration infrared montgolfier balloons to observe the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer in the Arctic. Dates and locations of the balloons' release.

The article offers a look at satellite observations of the Earth's environment. The Tiros 1 spacecraft collected a television image of Earth in black and white in April 1960. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer instruments flown on four different orbiting spacecraft since 1978 have traced the shifting hole in the protective ozone layer over Earth's poles. The images from Landsat satellites show deforestation in a tropical dry forest in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, from 1975 to 2000.

Relates new data from the NASA Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite and the DC-8 and U-2 aircraft which show substantial destruction of the Earth's ozone layer over the heavily populated Northern Hemisphere. UARS, built by GE AstroSpace, was developed specifically to provide data to influence environmental policy decisions; Detecting elevated levels of chlorine monoxide; Measurements taken.

Reports on the findings by an international Arctic scientific expedition using NASA flying laboratories that showed conditions in the region are similar to those causing atmospheric ozone destruction in the Antarctic. Satellite, balloon and ground-based instrument networks could confirm the destruction. Findings; Possible causes being studied.

The article reports the findings from a team of scientists led by Susan Solomon which provided evidence that the protective ozone layer over Antartica are showing signs of increasing, thus in the process of healing. Topics discussed include the restrictions of the International Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on the utilization of halocarbons as the main cause of ozone stabilization and healing.

The article discusses the impact of chlorofluorocarbons on the atmospheric ozone layer of the Earth. Topics include the implementation of the Montreal Protocol in 1989, which led to the phaseout of chlorofluorocarbons and related halocarbons, the function of the ozone layer, and the concern about the rising emissions in Southeast Asia.

The article discusses the clashes between the U.S. chemical industry and U.S. public health advocates for tightening the federal air quality standard for ground-level ozone that can cause coughing, sneezing, and asthma. Topics discussed include risk to the investment made by chemical industry due to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ozone rule, cost estimation of clean air control, and reducing the toxic particles emission limit to between 60 and 70 parts per billion.

The article presents brief information on the regulatory changes in the power industry of the U.S. It states that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised a 2012 proposal to limit carbon emissions from new coal- and natural gas-fired power units in September 2013. Changes related to disposal of coal combustion residuals, air pollution, and ozone layer, is also discussed.

The article reports on a deal signed by leaders of different countries to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases that impacts the climate and the environment. It mentions use of HFCs to replace chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in products like aerosols and refrigerators as CFCs reacted with the ozone layer.

The article reports that the effect of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) on climate change is expected to increase in the future unless the compounds are phased out. HFCs were commercialized in the 1990s as refrigerants, despite knowledge of their contributions to global warming. They were considered eco-friendly since they are being used as replacements for substances that have been proven to deplete stratospheric ozone. Levels of HFC-134a had reportedly risen by 10 percent between 2006 and 2010.

The article offers information on metered dose inhalers (MDI). Brief background on the introduction of MDI, which is one of the most commonly used devices for respiratory diseases, into the market is offered. The argument regarding the damage caused by MDIs in the ozone layer is discussed. After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-containing MDIs cannot be marketed after December 31, 2008, pharmacies transitioned to the new hydrofluoroalkene (HFA)-containing MDIs.

The Aura earth observation satellite will provide people with valuable data to improve their understanding of climate change and the ozone layer. The article focuses on Great Britain's involvement in the project. The instrument that has had the most significant input from Great Britain in construction of is the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder or Hirdlis. It will measure the temperature and global distributions of 10 key chemicals, including ozone, from the top of cloud level to the lower stratosphere, a part of the atmosphere that has been virtually impossible to observe adequately with existing satellites.

The article informs that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed tough standard for ground-level ozone or smog to prevent public from premature deaths and asthma attacks. Topics include the proposal for ozone limit from a range 65 to 70 parts per billion signed by the EPA Administration Gina McCarthy, acceptance of public comments on the proposal for 90 days, and views of Nick Goldstein, vice president of regulatory affairs, on the use smog-monitoring devices.

The article reports that data from the Nimbus-7 satellite shows the lowest levels of ozone ever recorded over Antarctica. The satellite's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) indicates the ozone over the northern hemisphere is lower than any year since 1978, the first year data was collected. TOMS data from the Russian satellite Meteor-3, launched August 1991, hacks up Nimbus-7 findings. Hard facts such as these have recently come to bear on the ozone depletion problem. The more scientists learn about what makes the atmosphere tick, the more warning they can give to the industries that depend on chlorofluorocarbon families of chemicals.

Reports that in July 1998, approximately 300 delegates from 97 countries met in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss ways of strengthening the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. Focus on the conflicts between the Montreal protocol and the Kyoto protocol; Continued promotion of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); What the HFCs substitutes; Recommendation made by the Sri Lanka delegation.

The article reports on the announcement of China regarding the ban of methyl bromide in farming, which will take effect on January 1, 2015, as it causes damage to ozone layer.

The article offers information on a study which depicts that great plumes of water vapor that are injected into the stratosphere by powerful summer storms could trigger damage to the protective ozone layer of Earth.

The article reports on a study on springtime ozone levels in western North America which is said to be affected by the air from the Pacific Ocean.

The article reveals that protecting stratospheric ozone helps cut buildup of greenhouse gases. It suggests that the atmosphere would have significantly more potential to trap heat than it does now if countries had not taken action to protect stratospheric ozone, which protects Earth's surface from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.

The article reports that the 2008 hole in the stratospheric ozone layer is the fifth largest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The ozone hole reached its maximum size on September 12, 2008, covering an area of 10.5 million square miles and extending four miles deep. Massive depletion of ozone occurs every austal spring over Antarctica mainly due to bromine and chlorine released in the breakdown of synthetic compounds.

The article discusses a research which predicts that Earth's healing ozone layer may have unexpected effects on the climate of the Southern Hemisphere. The researchers used the Chemistry Climate Model Validation (CCMVal) system to forecast that a Westerly Jet, a wind current that races around the Southern Hemisphere during the summer, may ultimately slow down as the ozone layer continues to regenerate through the middle of the 21st century.

The article reports on the results of a modeling study which suggests further damage to the ozone layer in polar regions from global warming initiatives which involves pumping of large amounts of sunlight-reflecting sulfate into the atmosphere. Atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen and colleagues suggested injecting sulfate into the atmosphere to mitigate global warming but only as a last resort.

The article reports offers information on the scientific research of British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in the region. They discovered the hole in the ozone layer in the 1990s, and highlighted the advanced effects of climate change by tracking the break-up of the Antarctic coastal shelf. Moreover, the BAS is pioneering the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to study areas that are too costly to reach using ships or conventional aircraft. INSET: TURNING UP THE HEAT.

The article reports on the 30 percent decrease in the hole of the ozone layer, according to the European Space Agency. It states that the hole of the ozone layer has been found to be unstable, changing in size throughout the year, getting larger in September and October. Researchers stress the uncertainty that the hole in the ozone layer will continue to decrease in size. It cites that despite the actions carried out to prevent harmful chemicals from reaching the atmosphere, the ozone layer has been found to be thin. It points out that the ozone layer plays a significant role in obstructing ultraviolet radiation, which poses various health risks such as cataracts and skin cancer.

This article reports on the call by Joe Farman, one of the three scientists who reported the signs of several damage to the ozone layer over the Antarctic in 1985, for a quicker progression in phasing out chemicals which still damage the ozone. The call by Farman came with the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to protect the ozone layer in the atmosphere. Farman criticized the agreement that allows developing countries to keep on using chemicals that destroy the ozone until 2040.

The article reports on criticisms from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) against a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to tighten the federal air quality standard for ozone. According to ARTBA, the change could jeopardize the highway funds promised to counties, which could affect public safety and health.

The article reports on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to tighten the clean air standard for ozone. It discusses the possibility that the EPA's proposal could leave the door open for the agency to bow to industry pressure for maintaining the status quo. The agency plans to accept comments from the public for maintaining the current standard or favoring a new ozone limit.

The article reports on the issuance of a warning by Transitions Optical regarding possible dangers of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure in the U.S. The move is in response to the announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration about the increasing hole in the Earth's ozone layer. A survey conducted by Transitions Optical found that 82% of people know that extended sun and UVR exposure have been linked to skin cancer.

The article reports on the rejection by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Stephen L. Johnson of a recommendation related to the standard for ozone of EPA. Johnson, member of EPAs Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, states his disapproval of the recommendation which advises to keep the national ambient air quality standard for ozone at 0.08 ppm averaged over eight hours. He argues that there is no scientific justification for retaining the standard for ozone.

This article reports that despite the ban on the use of the poisonous fumigant methyl bromide in the year 2005, its application continues on strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and other crops in the U.S. Methyl bromide has been officially prohibited by an international treaty. According to an article published in the journal "Associated Press," the U.S. President George W. Bush administration is trying to ensure that methyl bromide remains available at least through 2008 by seeking and winning treaty exemptions. Methyl bromide is a gas that is usually injected into the soil before planting. It is then covered with plastic sheeting to slow its release into the air. Methyl bromide depletes the earth's protective ozone layer and has the potential to harm the human neurological system. Workers who inhale the chemical can suffer convulsions, neuromuscular and cognitive problems. The U.S. had signed the Montreal Protocol treaty, promising to phase out methyl bromide by 2005.

Presents a study published in the "Journal of Geophysical Research" showing the improvement of the stratospheric ozone layer in multilatitude areas. Increase in the thickness of the ozone layer; Success of the Montreal protocol in limiting the production and use of ozone-depleting chemicals; Anticipation for the return of ozone to normal levels.

Reports on the advancement of research and development to further the deployment of hydrogen energy technologies in California. Use of the nuclear power to generate the electricity needed to split water; Increase of the rate of hydrogen inputs to the atmosphere from all sources; Contribution of the use of hydrogen on the damage of the ozone layer.

Assesses the request of the U.S. to Ozone Secretariat of the United Nations on the use of methyl bromide. Phase out of bromide under the Montreal protocol; Depletion of the stratospheric ozone by bromide; Reduction of bromomethane consumption in the year 2005.

Focuses on the establishment of regulation governing production, import and export of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) in the U.S. Compliance with the Montreat Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer; Estimation of the HCFC production.

Reports on the opposition of the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) approval of a Texas plan to bring the Houston-Galveston area into compliance with federal ground-level ozone standards by 2007. Forced requirement from chemical producers under the EPA plan; What the groups are asking the court.

Reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved a plan submitted by Texas officials to bring the Houston-Galveston area into compliance with federal ground-level ozone standards by 2007. What the plan includes; Companies comprising the Business Coalition for Clean Air Appeal Group.

Presents information on the completion of the pre-launch testing to the Global Ozone Monitoring Occultation of Star (GOSMOS) instrument designed to monitor the ozone layer. Features of the GOSMOS instrument; Benefits of the GOSMOS.

Discloses findings of scientists with the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of signs that the ozone layer is in the early stages of recovery. Implication that the amount of chlorine is no longer increasing in the stratosphere.

Reports that a probe to monitor the earth's ozone layer has been fitted to the Envisat Polar Platform satellite, which is scheduled to launch in late 2000. Functions to be performed by the probe; Designer of the probe's light detection modules.

Discloses that with the ban of chlorofluorocarbon production in most industrialized countries, the ozone layer will recover at around year 2050.

The article stresses on the replacement of halogenated fire-fighting agents, Halon 1301 to sulfur hexafluoride in the Navy vessels. The substitution for halons is due to environmental concerns about stratospheric ozone layer depletion. The Navy Technology Center for Safety and Survivability found out that sulfur hexafluoride, a non-toxic, environmentally friendly gas, could be used as a stimulant for Halon 1301 for discharge testing.

Focuses on the impact of greenhouse gases on ozone layer of the Earth's atmosphere. What attributes to climate change; How the ozone layer is destroyed; Comments from stratosphere and ozone modeler Jerry D. Mahlman, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Geophysical Research Laboratory in Princeton, New Jersey. INSET: Severity of Artic ozone loss may approach Antarctic's.