LUFTHANSA airlines of Germany has been conferred the "Stratospheric ozone protection award" by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the US. EPA recognised the airline as the first in the world to do away with ozone-depleting chemicals used in the maintenance and overhaul of aircraft.

The airline says it was honoured for dispensing with chlorofluorocarbons and methyl chloroform, both of which cause damage to the ozone layer.