“Being ozone friendly” means tasking individual action to reduce and eliminate impacts on the stratosphere ozone layer caused by the products you buy, the appliances and equipment that your household or business uses, or the manufacturing process used by your company. Products made with, or containing ozone depleting substances (ODS) such as CFCs, HCFs, Halons, Methyl Chloroform and Methyl Bromide can contribute to ozone layer depletion. 

The following list describes some actions individual can take to help protect the Ozone Layer Depletion:

Be an Ozone Friendly Consumer: Buy products (aerosols spray cans, refrigerators, fire extinguisher, etc.) that are labelled “Ozone Friendly” or “CFC Free”. The product labels should indicate that they do not contain ozone depleting substances such as CFCs or Halons. Ask for more information from the seller to ensure that the product is ozone friendly. Tell your neighbours that you are the proud owner of “Ozone Friendly” products.

Be an Ozone Friendly House Owner: Dispose of old refrigerators and appliances responsible for CFC & HCFC refrigerants should be removed from an appliance before it is discarded (ask the Public Work Department in your town or a home appliance dealer about appliance refrigerant recovery programmes).  Portable Halon fire extinguishers that are no longer needed should be returned to your fire protection authority for recycling. Consider purchasing new fire extinguishers that do not contain halon (eg. Dry Powder) as recommended by your fire protection authority.

Be an Ozone Friendly Farmer: If you use methyle bromide for soil fumigation, consider switching to effectively and safe alternatives are currently being used in many countries to replace this ozone damaging pesticide. Consider options such as integrated pest management that do not rely on costly chemical inputs. If you donot currently using methyl bromide, don’t begin to use it now (you will have to get rid of it in the future).

Be an Ozone Friendly Refrigeration servicing Technician: Ensure that you recover from air conditioners, refrigerators or freezers during servicing is not “vented” or released to the atmosphere. Regularly check and fix leaks before they become a problem. Help start a refrigerant recovery and recycling programme in your area.

Be an Ozone Friendly Office Worker: Help your company identify which existing equipment (eg. Water cooler, air conditioners, cleaning solvents, fire extinguishers) and what products it buys (aerosol sprays, foam cushions/ mattresses, paper correct fluid) use ozone depleting substances, and develop a plan for replacing them with cost effective alternatives. Become an environmental leader within your office.

Be an Ozone Friendly Company: Replace ozone depleting substances used on your premises and in your manufacturing process (contact your National ozone unit to see if you are eligible for financial and technical assistance from the multi lateral fund). If your products contain ozone depleting substances, change your product formulation to use alternatives substances that do not destroy the ozone layer.

Be an Ozone Friendly Teacher: Inform your students about the importance of protecting the environment and in particular the ozone layer. Teach students about the damaging impact of ozone depleting substances on the atmosphere, the health impacts, and what steps are being taken internationally and nationally to solve this problem. Encourage students to spread the message to their families.

Be an Ozone Friendly Community Organiser: Inform your family, neighbours and friends about the need to protect the ozone layer and help them get involved. Work with non-governmental organisations to help start information campaigns: and technical assistance projects to phase out ozone depleting substances in your city, town or village.

Be an Ozone Friendly Citizen: Read and learn more about the effects of ozone depletion on people, animals and the environment, your national strategy and policies to implement the Montreal Protocol, and the phase out of ozone depleting  substances means to your country. Get in touch with your country’s National Ozone unit and learn get involved on an individual level.

Be an Ozone Friendly:  SOS Save Our Skies.

Published in the public interest by

Department of Science & Technology, A & N Administration, Port Blair