Ozone is a tri-atomic oxygen existing in the Earth's atmosphere as a gas. Ozone is highest in 
concentration in the stratosphere (10-50 kilometers above the Earth's surface) where it absorbs 
the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Stratospheric ozone is produced naturally and helps to protect 
life from the harmful effects of solar ultraviolet radiation. Over the last few decades levels of 
stratospheric ozone have been declining globally, especially in Antarctica. Scientists have 
determined that chlorine molecules released from the decomposition of chlorofluorocarbons 
(CFCs) are primarily responsible for ozone destruction in the stratosphere. People living
near the Antarctica such as southern Argentina and Chile have a higher incidence of 
skin cancer and cataract at a younger age due to increased radiation from ultraviolet light.