Which substances are known to cause ozone depletion?

Ozone depletion primarily results from specific chemicals that, when released into the atmosphere, lead to the breakdown of ozone molecules in the stratosphere. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and methyl chloroform are well-documented substances responsible for this environmental issue.

CFCs, once commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol propellants, release chlorine atoms when they are broken down by ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere. Each chlorine atom can destroy thousands of ozone molecules before it is depleted. Methyl chloroform, another chlorinated compound, also contributes to ozone depletion by releasing chlorine when it undergoes photochemical reactions in the atmosphere.

While other substances, such as nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide, methane, argon, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, may have various environmental effects, they do not have the same direct and significant impact on ozone layer integrity as CFCs and methyl chloroform do. This makes the selection of CFCs and methyl chloroform as the correct answer profoundly relevant to discussions on ozone depletion.