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In May 2018, a surprising study revealed an "unexpected and persistent" increase of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere. At that time, scientists were not able to determine the exact location of the pollutant and ozone-depleting gas, but the media later suggested that these clues would lead to a rural industrial city in China.
Now, a new study confirms that the increase in CFCs, up to 7,000 metric tons, actually comes from north-east China, based on atmospheric observations.
"Here we are studying regional emissions of CFC-11 from East Asia," says the study's summary. "We show that eastern mainland China's emissions are 7.0 +/- 3.0 (± 1 SD) per year in 2014-2017 compared to 2008-2012, and that the increase in emissions occurs mainly around the provinces of Shandong and Hebei, in the north-east of the country. "
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The abstract of the new study published in Nature adds that the increase observed in the provinces of Shandong and Hebei, in the north-east of the country, represents a "substantial fraction" of the increase of 40 to 60% at least of the rise in CFCs. 11 emissions; no significant increase in CFC-11 emissions has been reported in any other country in East Asia or in any other region of the world where data are available.
It is not known what the economic cost of new CFC-11 emissions will be, but a 2009 study indicated that ozone pollution could result in annual health costs of $ 580 billion "and that mortality from acute exposure would exceed 2 million. "
Fox News has contacted the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and the Environment with a request for comments. According to an article in the New York Times, the ministry was preparing answers to questions the Times had sent to it last week about its ongoing investigation.
Dr. Matt Rigby, lead author of the study, said the increase in CFC-11, widely used as a refrigerant and for the manufacture of foam insulation prior to its prohibition under the Montreal Protocol of 1987, was "unexpected ". and his team started conducting their research.
Simulation of atmospheric transport of CFC-11 to Gosan and Hateruma monitoring sites using the Met Office NAME model. The colors indicate areas where emission sources would have a significant impact on CFC-11 measurements for one day in December 2014. This model information was used to infer an increase in emissions from the east. of China from 2013. (Source: University of Bristol)
"CFC-11 was mainly used in foam blowing, so we looked at estimates of the amount of CFC-11 that could be enclosed in foam insulation in buildings or refrigerators manufactured prior to 2010, but these were far too weak to explain the recent rise, "said Rigby in a statement. "The most likely explanation is that the new production took place, at least before the end of 2017, period covered by our work."
Expressing with news.com.au, Rigby said the fact that factories were secretly producing CFC-11, aided by local government officials who were turning a blind eye, "was not entirely a surprise."
Researchers have not yet been able to determine where other CFC-11 emissions are coming from.
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"Our measurements are only sensitive to the east of China, western Japan and the Korean Peninsula, and the rest of the AGAGE network sees regions of North America , from Europe and southern Australia, "added Professor Sunyoung Park. "There are many parts of the world for which we have very little detailed information on emissions of substances that deplete the ozone layer."
Ozone is part of the Earth's stratosphere and helps protect the Sun's ultraviolet rays.
After the presentation of the initial study of 2018, it was reported that international non-governmental organizations, Environmental Investigation Agency, suspected the Chinese foam plants to have caused the wrongdoing. The Chinese authorities subsequently closed some of these facilities, providing no further explanation, news.com.au added.
While the facts are worrisome, it seems that some members of the Chinese government will take positive action.
"They were worried, it was clear, I think … that they were going to tackle this problem," said Paul Fraser, one of the study's co-authors. , in an interview with ABC radio via news.com.au Fraser added that he had not yet seen any indication that China had begun to reprimand the offending factories.
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The Montreal Protocol of 1987 was adopted after scientists had disturbingly disturbed the ozone over Antarctica and Australia in 1985. It had been adopted by the World Heritage Program. United Nations for the environment. The former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, said that it was "[p]perhaps the most successful international agreement to date "and has been widely regarded as a success, with ozone continuing to regenerate each year.
One hundred and ninety-seven countries, including the United States under former President Ronald Reagan and China, are signatories to the Montreal Protocol.
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Fox News also contacted the US Environmental Program to ask them to comment on this story.
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