Each day thousands of CFC's are being pumped in to the earth's atmosphere, creating an even thicker ozone layer which surrounds our world. Scientists today have discovered the need for the worlds population to decrease the use of cars which excrete carbon monoxides; aerosols which spray CFC's and factories which pump out chemicals, all in to the earth's atmosphere. Thankfully we are starting to understand the dangers of the ozone layer and are attempting to resolve the situation.

Asthma is a condition which has considerably increased in the past twenty years due to the air we breathe. Therefore to relieve the suffering of this condition inhalers are used. However it has been discovered that inhalers contain CFC's and so are adding to the on going problem of the growing ozone layer. CFC's are the propellants within the inhaler, which are pressurised and so force the gas out, allowing the user to inhale their medication. Therefore it has been proposed that inhalers should use CFC-free propellants called hydrofluoroalkanes. These are being slowly introduced in to the medical world, with one already on the market in Britain called Airomir. However there have been concerns towards these new inhalers because it is said they feel and taste quite different. There are also issues of significance including dosage and equipment compatibility.

In short it is believed that there needs to more education for health professionals such as doctors and for the patients. For example, it is said patients should not change back to inhalers which are CFC based once they have started using CFC-free products. It is understood from the Chief Medical Officer that the Government have set a law that by spring 1999 all inhalers should be CFC-free. This is only one way in which people are trying to improve the problem of the widely increasing ozone layer. Therefore if we all work together and help as much as possible we can over come this problem and beat the ever increasing ozone layer.

© 1998 Freeway
Writer: Nicola Suckley (Bishop Heber High School, Cheshire, England)
HTML by: Johan Westin (nv00-53@park.se).