Imagen: giz / Andreas Döring
The National Ozone Unit jointly with GIZ Proklima organised training sessions on the clearing of refrigerants used in cooling systems for customs and excise officials and clearing agents
Life on earth depends on the ozone layer. It protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiation and thus reduces health-related risks such as skin cancer or eye damage. At the same time, the ozone layer preserves marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The discovery of a thinning of the layer in the 1980s led to the signing of the Montreal Protocol, in which the international community agreed to gradually phase out ozone-depleting substances. Those substances are CFCs and HCFCs, which were mainly used for refrigeration (e.g. in household refrigerators) or air conditioning.
Today, the unauthorised trade of ODS is illegal in most countries. However, each country has its own responsibility to control imports and exports. Clearing agents are key players in preventing illicit trade of ODS across borders. It is important to train officials in the correct clearing of refrigerants used in cooling systems.