The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has engaged key players in the Air-conditioning market to help phaseout Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) by 2030. HCFCs are chemicals used in refrigerants, particularly air conditioners, that deplete the planet’s protective ozone layer, which causes irreversible environmental damage and global warming. The decision forms part of Ghana’s mandate to meet the obligations of international treaties on substances that destroy the ozone layer. Mr. Emmanuel Osae Quansah, Head of Climate Change and the Ozone Department of EPA speaking in an interview with GNA said ‘We have travelled far, we phased out Chlorofluorocarbon in 2010 and we are now controlling the volume of HCFCs that come into the country because we have to phase them out by 2030.’ He said to eliminate these chemicals, there was a need to control the amount of HCFC refrigerants imported to hit their target. As part of controlling HCFCs in the country, the EPA has also issued quotas to eligible importers not to breach the international community rules which could eventually attract sanctions. Mr. Quansah said the issuance of quotas had made it easier for the Agency to make progress in the fight against these chemicals. ‘With the rolling over of the Kigali amendment which controls 19 hydrofluorocarbons, they came to replace HCFCs and HFCs but because of their high global warming potential, the protocol has agreed that we phase them down to 80 per cent with 20 per cent residual quantities. When matured green technologies are found, the residual 20 per cent will be phased out,’ he said. He urged stakeholders to comply with the protocols and form member associations to make it easier for EPA to strengthen their bond with them. Dr. Ing Dr. Kwame Owusu-Achaw, a renowned engineering consultant said there were global concerns in environmental issues which was because of several sectors of human activities. ‘Following global warming and energy efficiency issues, we are going away from the old gases we are using. The CFC gas has already been phased out and the other registrants which came as replacements have also been phased out, so the trust of our profession is to educate,’ he said. He urged stakeholders to transform their activities to environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies to get rid of HCFCs.
Source: Ghana News Agency