
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 5, 1991                   TAG: 9104050268
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

OZONE LOSS OVER U.S. WORSENING

The protective ozone layer over densely populated areas of the United States has thinned twice as fast as previous projections and heavier doses of dangerous ultraviolet rays are leaking to the ground for longer periods of the year, according to scientific data released Thursday.

Ultraviolet light is a cause of skin cancer. According to Enviromental Protection Agency calculations based on the new findings over the next 50 years about 12 million Americans will develop skin cancer, and more than 200,000 will die of it. These would be in addition to the more than 8,000 deaths a year now caused by skin cancer. Under previous assumptions, 500,000 cancer cases and 9,300 fatalities were forecast from ozone depletion.

Both the rate and duration of ozone depletion surprised the NASA scientists who did the study. They say they suspect an unforeseen chemical reaction caused by the rapid buildup of man-made chlorine in the stratosphere.

"If we find this is due to chlorine, and it's strongly suggested that it is, things can only get worse," said Michael Kurylo, manager of NASA's upper atmosphere research program.

"The problem is more serious than we thought," said William Reilly, head of the Environmental Protection Agency. "The implications for policy are unavoidable."

Seventy countries have ratified a treaty committing industrialized nations to phase out chlorofluorocarbons by the year 2000 and developing nations to follow suit 10 years later.

Chlorofluorocarbon gases are widely used as coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, as blowing agents to make plastic foam.

by CNB