The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has organised a sensitisation campaign on ozone layer protection for scrap dealers and technicians within the Cape Coast Metropolis whose activities directly impact environmental safety.
The programme formed part of activities planned by the EPA in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to mark this year’s World Ozone Day celebration.
This year’s commemoration, observed on the global theme: “40 years of ozone protection: from science and global action”, involved the hosting of events among key stakeholders with the view of getting such groups involved in protecting the ozone layer.
The ozone layer is a protective shield that absorbs most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV), safeguarding life on Earth from its damaging effects.
Potential threat
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a sensitisation workshop in Cape Coast last Friday, the National Ozone Officer at the EPA, Joseph Amankwa Baffoe, explained that the activities of scrap dealers were a potential threat to the gains being made towards protecting the ozone layer from further depletion.
He stated, “When scrap dealers dismantle old air conditioners or refrigerators without first recovering the refrigerant gases, those substances escape into the atmosphere and contribute to ozone depletion.”
Mr Baffoe said that the EPA was promoting the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants such as R600 for refrigerators and R290 for air conditioners, indicating that they were ozone and climate-friendly alternatives.
The government targets that by 2030, at least 70 per cent of appliances in Ghana should use these green refrigerants,” he stated.
Mr Baffoe indicated that the country was putting in place schemes that provide top-up rebates for consumers who buy approved air conditioners or refrigerators, saying, “This will make the transition easier for households and businesses.”
He said the country had committed to the global climate agenda and continued to perform strongly under international environmental agreements, explaining that the EPA allocated import quotas for refrigerants to ensure that the country steadily reduced its reliance on harmful chemicals.
Stakeholders
The Head of Environment and Climate at UNDP Ghana, Dr Abdul-Razak Saeed, indicated that the initiative sought to reach a diverse range of stakeholders across both the formal and informal sectors regarding the ozone layer.
He explained that the engagement with the scrap dealers was to create awareness of how they could handle and dispose of old appliances properly, to prevent harmful substances from escaping into the atmosphere and damaging the ozone layer
He said the UNDP and EPA had also held educational sessions with senior high school students, encouraging the younger generation to develop environmentally conscious habits.
Dr Saeed said the UNDP’s collaboration with the EPA formed part of the country’s broader commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
“We are grateful to the EPA for their commitment and for ensuring that these awareness workshops reach people in all regions, in languages they understand, so that everyone can appreciate their role in protecting the ozone layer,” he stated.
info@businessghana.com
