EVIDENCE from Joe Farman, the scientist whose team at the British Antarctic
Survey discovered the seasonal hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica,
swayed a court ruling involving false 鈥榞reen鈥� claims about a product. His
testimony helped trading standards officers in London to press for the heaviest
penalty yet levied in Britain on a company found guilty of such charges.
The case, brought by Merton Trading Standards Department against Addis,
a company which manufactures fire extinguishers, led to a successful prosecution
in which Addis pleaded guilty and was fined Pounds sterling 2800. It also
had to pay Pounds sterling 1300 in costs.
The company had described one of its extinguishers as 鈥榥on-CFC propellant,
ozone friendly鈥�. Wimbledon Magistrates Court heard that though the propellant
is nitrogen rather than a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), the main extinguishing
agent was Halon 1211. Farman told the court: 鈥楩or such a halon to be described
as 鈥榦zone friendly鈥� is a complete falsity. Bromine (from halons) as opposed
to chlorine (from CFCs) on an atom-by-atom basis is 30 times worse as far
as the depletion of the ozone layer is concerned.鈥�
Advertisement
