Ozone-harming gas declining faster than expected: study

PARIS: Scientists said on Tuesday that international efforts to protect the ozone layer had been a “huge global success” after revealing that damaging gases in the atmosphere were declining faster than expected.

The Montreal Protocol signed in 1987 aimed to phase out ozone-depleting substances found primarily in refrigeration, air conditioning and aerosol sprays.

A new study has found that atmospheric levels of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), harmful gases responsible for holes in the ozone layer, peaked in 2021 -- five years ahead of projections.