According to the latest research, the chemical that is used in the decaffeination process of the coffees and teas and in the preparation of the extracts hops might contribute to the delaying of the recovery of the ozone layer by upto 30 years.
The scientists conducting the study from the Lancaster University in the United Kingdom have found that the chemical which is commonly used in the processing stages in the food industry and was previously ignored delayed the recovery of the protective layer of the atmosphere. The chemical, i.e, dichloromethane may be contributing to the depletion of ozone and the matter should be taken into consideration on an immediate effect so as to improve the future predictions about ozone.
Dichloromethane which is a man-made chemical adds to the depletion of the ozone layer and is mostly used in the processing of various food items in the food industries, especially in the decaffeination process of tea and coffee. This chemical is also used in the extraction process of hops and many other flavoring ingredients. The projection made by the researchers reveal that the continuation of the emission of dichloromethane is increasing at an average rate most of it was observed between 2004-2014 which have mostly contributed to the delaying of the recovery of depletion of ozone layer mostly over Antarctica by approximately 30 years.
Unlike the chlorofluorocarbons and gases of similar characteristics are accountable for most of the depletion of ozone layer, dichloromethane has a short lifetime in the atmosphere so has not been given priority for being controlled by the Montreal Protocol” as reported by the Ryan Hossaini from the Lancaster University. “ In spite of this, the growth in the production has resulted in a rapid increase in the atmospheric concentration of the chemical over the last decade,” Hosseini
added.