International Ozone Day at Way to Transform Shridhar University Pilani Rajasthan

Online, September 26, 2010 (Newswire.com) - According to renowned Environmentalist Jim Fowler "Our challenge for the future is that we realize we are very much a part of the earth's ecosystem, and we must learn to respect and live according to the basic biological laws of nature."

On 19 December 1994, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed 16 September every year to be observed as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer to commemorate the same date in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances - ODS was signed. ODS are widely used in refrigerators, air-conditioners, fire extinguishers, in dry cleaning, as solvents for cleaning, electronic equipment and as agricultural fumigants.

The Montreal Protocol is a landmark international agreement designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. The treaty was originally signed in 1987 and substantially amended in 1990 and 1992. The Montreal Protocol stipulates that the production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere are to be phased out in a specified time period. Scientific theory and evidence suggest that, once emitted to the atmosphere, these compounds could significantly deplete the stratospheric ozone layer that shields the planet from damaging UV-B radiation.

Some of the ODS are ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFCs), Halon, Carbon Tetrachloride, Methyl Chloroform, HydroBromoFluoroCarbons (HBFCs), HydroChloroFluoroCarbons (HCFCs), Methyl Bromide, BromoChloroMethane (BCM). The Ozone Depleting Potential - ODP of a compound "x" is defined as the ratio of the total amount of ozone destroyed by a fixed amount of compound x to the amount of ozone destroyed by the same mass of CFC-11. The number and nature of the halogen has effect on ODP in the sense that bromine containing halocarbons usually have much higher ODPs than chlorine containing ones.

For the 16th International Ozone Day that is being observed on September 16, 2010 the theme is "Ozone Layer Protection: Governance & Compliance at their best."

Addressing the students at Way to Transform Shridhar University Pilani Rajasthan, Prof BR Natarajan Pro Vice Chancellor of the University highlighted the significance of the day as well as the chemistry of ozone and its importance to the global ecosystem. He urged them to appreciate the rules and regulations pertaining to production, consumption, import, export, sale, purchase of ozone depleting substances. Students enthusiastically participated in the proceedings sharing their opinions and resolved to do their best in this context.