Figure 14.5 shows the size and thickness of the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years. In the Southern Hemisphere spring of 2008, the hole in the stratospheric ozone layer reached the fifth larg- est on record, according to the U.S. National oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).5 The 2008 ozone hole reached its maximum size on September 12, covering area of 27.2 mil- an lion km2 and extending 6.5 km deep, according to NOAA. The record ozone hole was measured in 2006, peaking at a size of 29.5 km2 million sq miles. Although the production of CFCs responsible for the Antarctic ozone hole has been officially phased out, they persist for decades in the atmo- sphere and may take several years to rise high in the atmosphere where their effects are felt. NOAA scientists estimate that full recovery of the Antarctic ozone hole may not occur untii after 2050