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NEPA's Ozone Unit Stages Montreal Protocol Workshops.

.Jamaica moves a step closer to international ozone compliance

The National Ozone Unit (NOU) of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has secured a project to the tune of US$380,000 to aid in its fight to reduce ozone depletion in Jamaica. Three workshops scheduled for January 14 - 20, 2003 will form part of this project, called the Terminal Phase-Out Plan for CFC’s. These workshops will target the Refrigeration End-Users Sector and are financed by the Multilateral Fund (MLF).

The MLF was established under the Montreal Protocol to assist developing countries with financing the phasing out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The MLF is financed by the developed nations who are parties to the Montreal Protocol. The workshops, which are planned for Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Kingston, are aimed at ensuring compliance with the agreements of the Montreal Protocol in Jamaica's refrigeration and air-conditioning sectors.

In commenting on the workshops, manager of the Montreal Protocol Project Veronica Alleyne stated that the workshops are specifically intended for the air-conditioning and refrigeration industries. She said that, “while there are other types of substances such as methyl bromide found in some agricultural products such as fertilizers which also damage the ozone layer, CFC consumption is higher amongst the refrigeration industry in Jamaica". Mrs. Alleyne further indicated that, "enterprises in the sector that have refrigeration equipment that use chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) such as R12 and R502 refrigerants will be awarded financial incentives, according to the terms and agreements of the End-User's Project." The incentives are to be used primarily in offsetting the cost of retrofitting technology which the NOU is recommending that industry players use in seeking compliance with the goals of the Montreal Protocol. "In other words," she said, "while enterprises may select their preferred retrofits, or replacement refrigeration technology, only retrofitted equipment that are Ozone depleting, or contain hydro-fluorocarbons (HCFC's) will be considered for an incentive payment”.

She, however, noted that conditions apply. According to Mrs. Alleyne, “only enterprises that were in existence on or before January 1, 2002 will be considered

eligible for an incentive". She further stated that, "the equipment to be retrofitted would have had to be installed prior to January 1, 2000". Retrofitted technology is where a piece of equipment is modified to ensure that it achieves environmental compliant standards.

Mrs. Alleyne noted that members of the refrigeration industry have already been invited to attend the workshops. However, she said that, members of the public who have an interest in this issue should feel free to participate in the workshops. “In fact,” she said, “the more voices that are included in the discussion the more opportunities there are to make the process as inclusive as possible and to achieve compliance, accountability and transparency.” She noted that this was one of the NEPA’s goals as it moves to tackle the challenges of the environmental sector in the twenty-first century.

The Montreal Protocol is an agreement between the countries of the world to phase out the use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) in their air conditioning and refrigeration industries. Jamaica expects to be fully compliant by 2006. The NOU is a branch of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and oversees the implementation of the Montreal Protocol in Jamaica.