With everyone staying home now do you think that will help with pollution and the ozone layer?

windinhishair · 61-69, M Best Comment

It will definitely help reduce surface pollution due to factories shutting down. In fact, air quality over China has improved considerably since much of the nation was confined to their homes. We can expect a similar improvement in the US and other countries, though it will be temporary until point sources come back on line.

With respect to the ozone layer, that is primarily impacted by the use of chlorofluorocarbons released through human use. Since these were banned in the early 1990s, the ozone hole has been gradually reduced in size and duration, and continues to recover. People staying home should have little impact, since the chlorofluorocarbons are already banned.

MrBlueGuy

Temporarily yeah but as everything ramps back up again once this ends those gains will be lost. Especially as countries suspend their environmental protection polices to give a boost to their economies.

DeWayfarer · 61-69, M

It has already, yet don't expect it to last very long. Our good president has deemed this is the time to deregulate automotive smog devices.

ArishMell · 70-79, M

Not with the ozone layer - that was being damaged by vapours from materials no longer used.

Otherwise, yes, due principally to far less motor traffic; and what there is can move more efficiently on the emptier roads.

Note "efficiently" means potentially "faster" only in overall journey times by fewer delays, not by breaking the speed-limits! The UK's traffic-police have caught quite a number of motorists breaking the limits to a ridiculous level, especially on the motorways (70mph unless signalled lower).