Ozone depletion potential

Lukas Messmann

Chapter 119 in Elgar Encyclopedia of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment, 2026, pp 440-447 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The ozone molecules in Earth's stratosphere protect life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet light. However, inert chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), other halocarbons, and nitrous oxides destroy ozone in catalytic reactions when reaching the stratosphere. This dramatic environmental problem was recognized internationally as a direct consequence of anthropogenic activities after the discovery of the Antarctic “ozone hole” in 1985. As a response, the UN signed the Montreal Protocol in 1987, mandating the phase-out of many ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Despite treaty violations, uncertainties in emission trends since the mid-2010s, and rising N2O emissions, the Montreal Protocol can be considered a success story of international cooperation and scientific rigor. This entry summarizes how ozone depletion is integrated into common LCIA methods, to which product families LCA researchers should pay close attention, how ozone depletion compares with climate change and other impacts, and where trade-offs between climate change mitigation and ozone layer protection exist.

Keywords: Montreal Protocol; ODP; Skin cancer; Cataract; Halocarbons; N2O (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309887
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