Ozone damage over Europe

GENEVA (AP) - A combination of man-made chemicals and warm air-flows caused enormous damage to the ozone layer over large parts of the northern hemisphere during the past three months, a United Nations environment agency said yesterday.

The World Meteorological Organisation said ozone levels over North America and much of Europe were 20 per cent below normal at the end of January and for most of February, slightly worse than last year. A spokesman for the WMO said the danger to humans during winter months is reduced because periods of high ozone depletion coincide with a low sun and frequently cloudy skies limiting the amount of ultra-violet radiation.