What Damage Can Ozone Depletion Do?
Ozone depletion allows more ultraviolet radiation through to the earth. Ultraviolet radiation can damage humans, plants and animals. It can interfere with photosynthesis in plants and cause eye problems and skin cancer in humans and animals. Skin cancer is already a disease of epidemic proportions in Australia which now affects two thirds of all Australians. Skin cancer is a worse problem in Australia than in other parts of the world because many Australians have fair skins and yet Australia is so close to the tropics. Skin cancer is about 10 times more common amongst Australians than it is amongst other fair skinned people in Northern Europe. Australia also has the highest incidence of the most lethal form of skin cancer, melanoma, in the world. Seven thousand Australians got a melanoma in 1991. Melanomas are increasing by at least 10% every year which means that it is fast becoming a common cancer in Australia. It is a very aggressive cancer and quickly grows inwards and causes secon
