Day 011 - 12 Jul 94 - Page 58
1 MR. JUSTICE STEEL: You are not discovering the source of the
universe, are you, Professor Duxbury?
2 A. Not unless it is associated with the chemistry of
pentane.
3
MISS STEEL: In any event, the end result of using pentane as a
4 blowing agent whether indirectly or directly, is to
produce more greenhouse gases?
5 A. If the pentane escapes into the atmosphere it will
provide a very minor amount of greenhouse gas. It has to
6 be set in the context of the fact that in London you have
a large number of automobiles which are exuding
7 hydrocarbons related to pentane which are actually
contributing a far, far greater percentage of carbon
8 dioxide than will ever come out of the pentane blowing
process.
9
Q. That was a "yes" anyway?
10 A. It is "yes" but a qualified "yes."
11 Q. I think I have just a couple more questions. You were
mentioning about photo chemical smog which I think you
12 were saying is the more common effect of pentane. In your
statement you refer to it causing extensive damage to
13 orchards, that is right, is it not?
A. Yes.
14
Q. It is right as well, I think, that it can have a harmful
15 effect on people, for example, asthmatics?
A. Yes.
16
MR. MORRIS: Has the number of skin cancers predicted after it
17 became known the effects of CFCs and ozone depletion, has
there been predictions about the possible increase of skin
18 cancers in the world?
A. I do not know.
19
Q. The prediction about the ozone layer recovery, how
20 confident are you of those predictions?
A. Quite confident, because the amount of coupling
21 between the stratosphere and the tropisphere is known from
meteorological observations, and that means that the
22 residence time of things in the stratosphere and how long
they will take to come back into the tropisphere is, in
23 fact, fairly well understood.
24 The main uncertainties are the residue of the
chlorofluorocarbons in the tropisphere and how long they
25 will continue going into the stratosphere. The recovery
process, I think, is well understood and, in fact, will be
26 very long.
27 Q. The CFCs were first suspected to cause damage to the ozone
layer in 1974, is that correct?
28 A. In 1974 Molina and Rowland postulated that they might
cause damage.
29
Q. In 1978 are you aware that CFCs in aerosols were banned in
30 America by Congress?
A. I am aware of it.
