Antarctic ozone hole back near record size

Environmentalists have attacked continued EU production of ozone-depleting CFCs after the UN reported that the 2005 Antarctic ozone hole is back near its record size of 28 million square kilometres set in 2003. The World Meteorological Organisation said it was uncertain whether the ozone layer would ever attain full recovery. Green group the “Environmental investigation agency” called on the five EU countries still authorised to produce CFCs to phase them out. It pointed out that China recently committed to end its CFC production by 2007. See press releases at: www.wmo.ch/web/Press/Press734E.doc