By Lanre Omotoso
Stakeholders have expressed concern over the increasing depletion of the ozone layer with a call on policymakers to prevent its harmful effects.
A lecturer in the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Professor Olubunmi Shittu made the call in commemoration of this year’s “International Day for the Preservation of Ozone Layer.”
Professor Shittu, who defined the ozone layer as the fragile shield of gas that protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, said more efforts were needed to safeguard human beings, animals, marine life and plants from the negative impacts.
The don stressed that continuous depletion of the ozone layer might result in skin cancer, and cataracts as well as damaging the immune system.
He noted that harmful chemicals in refrigerators, air-conditioners and pesticides which often deplete the ozone layer must be removed to heal it.
The lecturer, however, advised industries to develop environment-friendly appliances to replace the ones that damaged the ozone layer.
The United Nations General Assembly in 1994 designated September 16 as the “International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer”, to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol of 1987.
The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty aimed at protecting the ozone layer by reducing the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.
The theme for this year’s International Day is “Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On”
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