Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to identify the substance mainly responsible for the depletion of the Earth's stratospheric ozone layer.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Ozone depletion is chiefly caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which release chlorine radicals under ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
CFCs are chemically stable in the lower atmosphere, allowing them to reach the stratosphere. There, ultraviolet rays break their carbon-chlorine bonds, producing chlorine radicals that repeatedly destroy ozone molecules. Among the given compounds, \(CF_2Cl_2\) is a well-known CFC called Freon-12. In contrast, \(CO_2\) and \(CH_4\) mainly contribute to the greenhouse effect, while \(CH_3OH\) does not play a significant role in ozone depletion.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The compound mainly responsible for ozone layer depletion is \(CF_2Cl_2\).