Europe, Canada and Russia at risk as continent-sized 'second hole' in ozone layer opens over the Arctic - 4th Oct 2011

Europe, Canada and Russia at risk as continent-sized 'second hole' in ozone layer opens over the Arctic - 4th Oct 2011

The ozone loss over the Arctic was so severe this year that for the first time a 'hole' in the ozone layer, similar to the one over the Antarctic, appeared.At a level of around 13 miles above the ground, 80 per cent of the ozone was lost, potentially exposing people on Earth's surface to harmful ultraviolet-B rays from the sun, which can cause sunburn and skin cancer.
The loss happened not because of increased use of ozone-destroying chemicals - now banned, and rarely used - but because cold high-altitude weather made the existing chemicals 'more active'.