A drop in CFC emissions puts the hole in the ozone layer back on track to closing

A reduction in illegal pollution from China is driving the decline, new data suggest

air quality station in Gosan, South Korea

Air samples collected at stations in Gosan, South Korea, (above) and Hateruma, Japan, show that CFC-11 emissions from eastern China have dropped substantially since 2018, contributing to a global decline in CFC-11 pollution.

AGAGE/NASA Earth Observatory

Good news for the ozone layer: After a recent spike in CFC-11 pollution, emissions of this ozone-destroying chemical are on the decline.