Fact or Fiction? Jack W. Dini 1537 Desoto Way Livermore, CA 94550 E-mail: [email protected]

The Ozone Hole

Is the sky falling? Will I get cancer because Chlorine chemistry has been blamed as A number of scientists report that a of the ozone hole? Are animals going blind the cause of the October ozone decrease in fi ve percent decrease in the ozone layer because of the hole? Should I worry about the hole, rather than purely meteorological is equivalent to moving south anywhere the ozone hole? effects based on dynamics or direct solar between 60 to 70 miles (Palm Beach to These are questions I received during infl uences related to the solar cycle, report Miami, or from Seattle to Tacoma). An radio interviews for my book Challenging S. Fred Singer and others.6 However, there increase in altitude of one thousand feet Environmental Mythology over the past is no clear evidence of global ozone deple- would produce the same result.10,11 months. Surprisingly to me, these were tion.7 The most probable major source of The worst case projection for the asked much more frequently than many the chlorine is man-made CFCs widely twenty-fi rst century ozone depletion is a other questions about the environment. used in air-conditioning, refrigerators, composite increase of 15 to 20 percent in Since I didn’t cover the ozone layer in my cleaning compounds, and other applica- surface ultraviolet radiation in the North- book or previous columns, it’s about time I tions.8 In the stratosphere, CFC molecules ern Hemisphere. Would this spell disaster? reviewed this topic. release their chlorine atoms which are Gregg Easterbrook quotes John Frederick, Concerns about the global environment highly effi cient destroyers of ozone mol- an atmospheric scientist at the University of effects of CFCs (chlorofl uorocarbons) ecules. “By repeatedly reacting with ozone Chicago, “It’s nothing to get a 20 percent began to surface in the 1970s.1 Researchers molecules and free oxygen atoms, a single increase on a purely natural basis. Sunlight had discovered that the amount of ozone CFC molecule can destroy thousands of grows more intense as one moves toward above the Antarctic land mass was falling times its weight in ozone molecules.” the equator, and thus ultraviolet radiation by more than 50 percent each spring and report Joe Bast et al.2 increases as well. Mexico City, Miami, San then gradually returning to its previous These concerns led to The Montreal Diego, and other cities on the mid-equato- level by early summer.2 Protocol on Substances That Deplete rial latitude band naturally receive about In the 1980s it really became an issue the Ozone Layer, a landmark interna- 20 percent more ultraviolet radiation than as the media highlighted the “hole” sug- tional agreement designed to protect the cities like Boston, Rome and Seattle. If a gesting this would lead to increased cancer stratospheric ozone layer. The treaty was 20 percent increase in ultraviolet exposure deaths and also reporting extensive injury originally signed in 1987 and substantially were going to be so damaging, there should to animals. Reports of rabbits and sheep amended in 1990 and 1992. The Montreal be no life in Florida.”12 in Chile being blinded by high UV levels Protocol stipulated that the production and were bandied about and the same was said consumption of compounds that deplete What about animals? for deformed frogs.3 A Greenpeace spokes- ozone in the stratosphere—chlorofl uoro- Animal blindness caused by the ozone hole person even suggested that “it wouldn’t be carbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, and is possible, but was never likely given that surprising” if polar bears began to go blind methyl chloroform—were to be phased out even when the hole is at its worst ultraviolet because of the ozone hole.4 by 2000 (2005 for methyl chloroform). readings at the South Pole are dramatically While on the topic of pronounce- lower than at the equator, where animals ments from concerned citizens and the What about effects on humans? see just fi ne.4 media, Gregg Easterbrook adds, “Since Roger Bate reports that climate scientist Researchers at the University of Cali- 1985, environmental lobbies have issued Fred Singer, the University of Virginia fornia, conducted analyses of the eyes of dire warnings during the austral spring professor who invented ozone monitor- blinded sheep and found the affl iction to months, when Antarctic ozone readings ing equipment, claims there has been no be the result of a common eye infection are going down. No pronouncements are increase in dangerous ultraviolet radia- completely unrelated to ultraviolet light.13 issued during the following austral summer tion reaching the earth. Skin cancers have Parasites, not UV exposure, have recently months, when the ozone layer readings doubled over the past twenty years because been found to be the cause of missing legs, head back up. You’ve seen the headline white-skinned northerners burned them- etc., on frogs and other amphibians.3 “Ozone Hole Opens” in October (austral selves on holiday in the sun in the 1960s spring) newspapers. Ever seen the headline and 1970s. But this increase has nothing Continued on page 46 “Ozone Hole Closes” in a January (austral to do with chemical emissions and the 5 summer) edition?” Scare tactics sell and ozone layer, which is still protecting us arouse the populace! So what else is new? adequately from the sun’s rays.9

34 Plating & Surface Finishing • October 2005

Dini Oct05. 34 10/17/05, 4:28:24 PM In Memoriam

Henry Strow Carl Archer The AESF Connecticut Branch has reported the passing of long-time, former Waterbury Carl Archer, a 36-year veteran of the coat- ings industry, and a territory sales manager Branch member Henry Strow, 95. He was born in Auburn, IN, and graduated from for Eckart America, has passed away. Purdue University during the Great Depression. He joined the staff of General Motors, “Carl was a good friend and colleague, Detroit, MI, in 1932, and joined the Detroit Branch the same year. and a valued member of the Eckart sales In 1936, Strow was hired by MacDermid, Inc., and moved to Waterbury, CT, where team,” said John Kruzel, Director of Sales— he transferred his AES membership. He served in the technical service department at Coatings and Plastics, for the company. “He MacDermid for about 10 years before starting his own company, Tru-Brite Chemicals. was well known and respected within the He did so with the assistance of Harold Leever, an executive of MacDermid. Tru-Brite coatings industry.” Chemicals became well known for providing concentrated brass plating solutions, to Prior to joining Eckart, he worked with Millennium Chemicals (formerly SCM which users needed only to add water to create a brass plating solution. chemicals), Louisville, KY. Earlier in his Strow was an expert in brass plating and gave many seminars and training sessions career he worked with American Cyanamid on the subject. He authored a number of papers, and for many years, authored the brass Company, Dallas, TX. plating section of the Metal Finishing Guide Book. Archer graduated from Arizona State A past president of the Waterbury Branch, Strow was active until failing health pre- University with a BS degree in chemistry. vented him from attending meetings.

Fact or Fiction tively high level of publicity the problem 13. Joseph L. Bast, Peter J. Hill and Richard C. Continued from page 34 has drawn, to note how low the speculative Rue, Eco-Sanity, 70. peril is compared with the number who 14. Julio Godoy, “The Return of the Ozone are indubitably dying each day now, with Layer,” Inter Press Service News Agency, Summary September 14, 2004. hardly an eyelash batted, from unsanitary S. Fred Singer sums it up as follows, “The 15. Bjorn Lomborg, The Skeptical water, malaria, measles, tetanus, and other Environmentalist, (Cambridge, UK, Antarctic ozone hole is genuine and will diseases.”16 Cambridge University Press, 2001), 274. continue as a temporary thinning of the 16. Christopher D. Stone, The Gnat Is Older layer every October. It has stabilized and References Than Man, (Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton may diminish in the future. Ozone deple- University Press, 1993), xix. 1. Environmental Politics, Michael S. Greve tion at our latitudes has been less than 5 and Fred L. Smith, Jr., Editors, (New York, percent and has stopped altogether since Praeger Publishers, 1992), 131. 1992. The depletion is small in relation to 2. Joseph L. Bast, Peter J. Hill and Richard the natural fl uctuations, which can reach C. Rue, Eco-Sanity, (Lanham, Maryland, Answers to I.Q. Quiz #411 some 100 percent from day to day. No Madison Books, 1994), 64. steady increase of average solar ultraviolet 3. S. Fred Singer, “Mastering the problem of 1. True. The term “winning” in the context of “winning a prize” was coined for radiation has been measured on the ground environmental quality,” Environment & recovering a metal electrolytically. so far.”3 Climate News, 4, 14, February 2001. 4. Gregg Easterbrook, A Moment On Earth, 2. False. Embrittlement is a severe loss of The area of thinning over Antarctica, (New York, Viking, 1995), 537. ductility or toughness in a metal or alloy. measured around 12.5 million square km 5. Gregg Easterbrook, A Moment On Earth, 3. True. Though phosphating is the pre- on September 1, 2004, half the size esti- 536. ferred term, both refer to a conversion mated in September 2000.14 6. S. Fred Singer, “Stratospheric Ozone: coating process, which forms an adher- Bjorn Lomborg looks at it this way, Science and Policy,” in The State of ent phosphate coating on a metal by “The case of the depleted ozone layer and Humanity, Julian L. Simon, Editor, (Oxford, immersion in an appropriate phosphating solution. the solution through restrictive protocols is UK, Blackwell, 1998), 537. 4. False. Chromating is a conversion coat- seen as a success story, in which the world 7. Aaron Wildavsky, “But is it True? A Citizen’s Guide to Environmental Health and ing process that forms an adherent chro- community fi nally pulled itself together Safety Issues,” (Cambridge, Massachusetts, mate coating on a metal by immersion and put the environment before money. For Harvard University Press, 1995), 338. in an appropriate chromating solution. this reason among others the ozone story 8. Environmental Politics, Michael S. Greve Chromatizing is a process for improving is often quoted as a successful application and Fred L. Smith, Jr., Editors, 129. paint adhesion on aluminum or alumi- of the principle of caution and of environ- 9. Roger Bate, Life’s Adventure: Virtual Risk num alloys by treatment with a solution mental awareness in general. However, it is in a Real World, (Oxford, Butterworth of chromic acid. 5. True. Purple plague involves the forma- worth pointing out that the implementation Heinemann, 2000), 109. tion of brittle intermetallic compounds of the CFC ban was strictly profi table. It 10. S. Fred Singer, “My Adventures in the Ozone Layer, Earth Day ’ 96,” The Heartland at aluminum wire/gold bonding pad was actually relatively cheap to fi nd sub- Institute, April 22, 1996, Page 18. intersections. Moisture and temperature stitutes for CFC and at the same time the 11. Hugh W. Ellsaesser, “Why the U.S. Should can cause this problem. The color purple 15 advantages were quite clear-cut.” Abandon the Montreal Protocol … Now!”, is characteristic of one of the intermetal- The words I like best are those of Citizen Outlook, 11, 2, November/December lics formed, when seen under the micro- Christopher Stone, “Aside from the uncer- 1996. scope. tainty, it is intriguing, considering the rela- 12. Gregg Easterbrook, A Moment On Earth, 530.

46 Plating & Surface Finishing • October 2005

in memoriam 46 10/17/05, 4:04:43 PM