Viewpoint 1

" We Will Miss Tuan " 1

News from International Agencies 2

TechTalk 3

World Policy Roundup 5

New Publications 5

The Progress in Ratification of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments 5

Dialogue and Discussion 6

Uzbekistan Cuts Emissions of ODS 6

Illegal Trade 7

Environmental Crime and Environmental Security at the Border 8

Breaking News: Philippines’ Vigilance Thwarts CFC Smugglers 8

Science News 9

Eastern Europe and Central Asia join Regional Network of ODS Officers 9

The National Ozone Unit Interview 10

Sweden Maintains Momentumto Support Networks 10

Forthcoming Meetings 10

Contents

zonActionUNEP DTIE tri-annual publication • OzonAction Programme under the Multilateral Fund

A newsletter dedicated to the protection of the ozone layer and implementation of the Montreal Protocol

UNEP

ISSN 1020–1602

Number 44 • June 2003

The FourteenthMeeting ofContractingParties to theMontreal Protocolin Rome lastNovember agreedon the highestlevel ofreplenishmentwith US$ 573million for theperiod from 2003to 2005. TheParties alsodetermined that21 countries were

in potential or actual non-compliance withthe freeze on CFC consumption.

The replenishment agreed at the 14thMeeting of the Parties put the MultilateralFund in a good position to assist efforts by theArticle 5 Parties to achieve compliance.Among the issues which the ExecutiveCommittee followed up at the April meetingin Montreal were financial planning for the2003-2005 triennium, the adoption of the2003 business plan for the Multilateral Fund,the allocation of resources for Article 5 Partycompliance, and the mobilization of publicsupport for the work of the Multilateral Fund.

It would be inevitable that the number ofcases of non-compliance would rise as Partiesmove further towards total phase-out of ODSthat are deeply embedded in the nationaleconomies. For example, eradication of povertymeans more use of refrigerators as consumptionof milk and dairy products grows and more useof methyl bromide in melon production as well.The developing countries cannot achieve conversionto alternative technologies and substances fromODS without facing a major challenge toachieving sustainable growth in their economies.The Multilateral Fund has not only to promoteaggregate reduction in the consumption andproduction of ODSs in Article 5 Parties, butshould also ensure that the phase-out becompatible with sustainable development.

Finally, I am concerned with the MultilateralFund’s paradoxically low level of visibility on theinternational scene such as the WSSD and theworld media, despite the highest level of funding inthe Fund’s history and an ever-growing number ofactivities. The Multilateral Fund is undergoing atransition, both with regard to the Secretariat’sleadership and with regard to its approach, withthe shift from project-driven to compliance-driven planning. I believe that no complacencyis to be permitted. The Fund must sustain anadequate level of commitment with moreefficiency and innovative action to deal with thedaunting tasks ahead.

The MontrealProtocolcommunitymourns the lossof Dr. Dao DucTuan, Director of Vietnam’sNational Officefor ClimateChange andOzoneProtection, whopassed away on27 February

ViewpointMultilateral Fund and Sustainable Development

2003 after a long illness.Dr. Tuan’s dedication to both ozone

and climate issues garnered the scientific,political and industry support whichallowed Vietnam to ratify the MontrealProtocol. He also pioneered the creation ofthe National Office for Climate Changeand Ozone Protection, firmly reiterating theconcept of the inter-linkages of these issues.As Director of the Office, he stronglyvoiced developing country concerns andprovided technical expertise throughvarious task forces of the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change (IPCC) and

UNEP- organized roundtables.One of his greatest achievements is the

Vietnam Pledge by multinational companiesnot to increase ODS dependence inVietnam, thus allowing Vietnam to phaseout ODS materials well ahead of theschedule set by the Montreal Protocol.

Dr. Tuan was also the recipient of theUSEPA 2003 Stratospheric Ozone Award,in recognition of his exceptionalcontribution in the implementation of boththe Montreal and UN FrameworkConvention on Climate Change inVietnam. He will be sorely missed.

H.E. Tadanori InomataAmbassador of Japan toCosta Rica, Chairmanof the ExecutiveCommittee of theMultilateral Fund

Dr Dao Duc Tuan, Director of NationalOffice, Vietnam

" We Will Miss Tuan "

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20032

Fund SecretariatAt its 38th Meeting theExecutive Committee(ExCom) approved US$ 82million for projects to

eliminate 11,000 tons of ODP. It pledgedUS$ 16 million of financial assistance forimplementing agreements to phase out CFCconsumption in Nigeria, the Philippines andIndonesia, and ODS production inArgentina (CFC) and China (CTC). A three-year phase-out plan based exclusively on thecompliance needs of Article 5 countries wonapproval for the first time in the Fund’shistory. The Committee decided to awardUS$ 1.5 million each to UNDP, UNIDOand the World Bank to finance core budgetsof their Montreal Protocol Units.

At its 39th Meeting, the Committeeallocated US$ 52 million to investment andwork activities in 50 developing countries.Much of it will go to China to help completeODS phase-out plans, and to India forwinding up CFC production.Contact: Dr Omar El Arini, Multilateral FundSecretariat, 1800 McGill College Avenue, 27th floor Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 3J6 tel: +1 514 282 1122fax: +1 514 282-0068e-mail: secretariat@unmfs.org, www.unmfs.org

UNEP DTIE The 39th ExCom Meetingendorsed UNEP’s 2003business plan, worth US$ 14million, as well as approved

US$ 1.26 million work programmeamendment. The Committee also approvedfunding to help set up a new regional networkfor Article 5 countries in Eastern Europe andCentral Asia, with bilateral assistance fromAustria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, theSlovak Republic and Sweden (see page 9).Regional networks implemented throughUNEP now include 130 developing countries.Information activities to support new Russian-speaking members were also approved,including a Russian version of this newsletter.

The reoriented and restructured ComplianceAssistance Programme started its regionaldelivery with full speed in all the regions. Sixregional meetings were held and seven trainingcourses were conducted. The CommunicationStrategy for Global Compliance was endorsedand a related Japanese bilateral projectsupporting Nigeria’s Information, education andcommunication needs was approved.Contact: Mr Rajendra M. Shende, UNEP DTIE, 39–43 quai André Citroën, 75739

Paris Cedex 15, France, tel: +33 1 44 37 14 50,fax: +33 1 44 37 14 74, e-mail:ozonaction@unep.fr, www.uneptie.org/ozonaction

UNEP OzoneSecretariatThe 30th Meeting of theImplementation Committeeand the Bureau of the

Montreal Protocol will take place in Montrealon 4-5 July. It will be followed (7-11 July) bythe 23rd Meeting of the Open-ended WorkingGroup, for which the Secretariat has arrangedthe infrastructure and prepared documents.The agenda includes a debate on proposedchanges to the Montreal Protocol arising fromnominations submitted by 12 Parties for criticaluse exemptions of methyl bromide in 2005.

The Secretariat has also finalisedpublication of the 2002 assessment reportsprepared by the three standing AssessmentPanels for Science, Environmental Effects andTechnology and Economics and its sixTechnical Options Committees (see page 5). Contact: Mr Marco Gonzalez, Ozone Secretariat, P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya, tel: +254 2 623 885, fax: +254 2 623 913/623601, e-mail: marco.gonzalez@unep.org,www.unep.org/ozone

UNDPThe 38th ExComMeeting approved 30new activities for

UNDP, including a National CFC phase-outplan for Nigeria, two phase-out plans inrefrigeration manufacture (in India and Syria)and one in servicing for Indonesia. Amongthe other approved projects were two terminalumbrella programmes in foam for Argentinaand Colombia, and one in aerosols for India,as well as phase-out activities in several LowVolume Consuming countries (LVCs) in theAfrican region. UNDP’s work in Cuba in theMetered Doses Inhaler aerosol sub-sector wassingled out for special praise, in the context ofMontreal Protocol’s compliance.

UNDP’s 2003-2005 business plan wasapproved at the 39th Meeting of the ExCom.It covers ongoing and new work in 57countries, with corresponding funding ofUS$ 104 million and a phase-out target of11,960 ODP tonnes.Contact: Dr Suely Carvalho, Montreal ProtocolUnit, UNDP, 304 East 45th Street, Room 9116,New York, NY 10017, USA, tel: +1 212 906 5004,fax: +1 212 906 6947, e-mail: suely.carvalho@undp.org, www.undp.org

News from International Agencies

UNEP

UNEP

UNIDOThe 39th ExCom approvedUS$ 305,000 for preparinginvestment projects in therefrigeration, solvents and

process agents sectors and for phase-out plansin the fumigant sector. It also endorsed aCountry Programme Update for Argentina, aterminal phase-out management plan forCFCs in Croatia, two investment projects forBosnia and Herzegovina in the refrigerationand foam sector, and the national ODSphase-out plan for Albania. The latterincludes conversion of cleaning installationsfrom CTC to tetrachloroethane at EnergyCombinat Ltd Albasan, and a refrigerantrecovery and recycling network. Followingapproval of additional tranches for 2003,UNIDO will continue to assist inimplementing the RMP to phase out use ofODS in refrigeration and air conditioning inAlgeria, and China’s tobacco sector plan, aUS$ 2 million annual work programme.Contact: Mrs H. Seniz Yalcindag, UNIDO, P.O. Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, tel: +431 26026 3782, fax: +431 26026 6804, e-mail: yalcindag@unido.org, www.unido.org

World BankUS$ 20 million was approvedat the 39th ExCom Meetingfor the first annualprogramme of China’s carbon

tetrachloride sector phaseout plan. The firstchlorinated rubber plant in India to receivefinancial assistance through the MultilateralFund for CTC phaseout was reopened inMay after conversion, using new technologydeveloped in India.

Total Multilateral Fund approvals by theend of December were worth US$ 545million, with 122,090 ODP tonnes (134,580metric tonnes) of ODS phased out to date.The seventh annual workshop for financialagents was held in Washington, D.C. alongwith NOU representatives. The emphasis wason issues surrounding implementation andreporting. The event was followed by the20th meeting of the Ozone OperationsResource Group, involving sector experts,client countries and representatives of theMultilateral Fund Secretariat, UNEP, UNDPand UNIDO. Contact: Mr Steve Gorman, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA,tel: +1 202 473 5865, fax: +1 202 522 3258, e-mail: sgorman@worldbank.org, www-esd.worldbank.org/mp

UNIDO

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20033

AEROSOLS

Aerospan Inhaler Promises Relief toAsthma Patients and Ozone LayerForest Laboratories, Inc. recentlyannounced the results of a new lungbiopsy study which found that use of thecompany's non-ozone-depleting,hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-based inhalationaerosol Aerospan "reduced both large andsmall airway inflammation and improvedlung function in patients with asthma."

"Using tissue samples from patientswith asthma, we were able to show thatAerospan treats inflammation in the largeand small airways of the lung," saidMcGill University medicine and pathologyprofessor Qutayba Hamid. "This is thefirst time lung biopsies from the distallung have demonstrated this effect of aninhaled corticosteriod."

The company said samples were takenfrom the "peripheral and central" airwaysof 12 asthmatic patients' lungs prior toand after six weeks of treatment withAerospan, which was administered in adosage of "four puffs twice daily." Thesamples were examined to determine "thelevels of a number of different cell typesthat indicate inflammation, such aseosinophils."

"Lung function was assessed at thestart of the study and after treatment usingcommon measures, including forcedexpiratory volume in one second...andforced expiratory flow," the companystated. "Following Aerospan treatment, asignificant reduction in inflammatorymarkers was seen in both the peripheraland central airways when compared tobaseline."Contact: Forest Laboratories, Inc., www.frx.com

DESTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES

Successful CFC Destruction TestsEco Logic and Fielding ChemicalTechnologies Inc. partnered to conduct atest using Eco Logic's Gas-Phase Chemical

T E C H � T A L KTech Talk showcases commercially-available technologies that reduce or replace ODS, as well as technologies

currently under research. Without seeking to endorse any technology or product, Tech Talk covers all technologiespermitted under the Montreal Protocol, including those using transitional substances (HCFCs) and not-in-kind

alternatives. We welcome information and contributions from all interested parties.

marketing vice president Jeff Moore."Only the agent storage container andsystem nozzles must be replaced to be incompliance with environmental standards."Contact: Diane Shomper, Dupont Fire Extinguishants,e-mail: diane.r.shomper@usa.dupont.com,www.dupont.com/fire

New Clean Agent Fire SuppressionSystem From AnsulThe SAPPHIRE™ automatic, fixednozzle, fire suppression system ismanufactured by Ansul and uses 3M™NOVEC™ 1230 fire protection fluid fortotal flooding applications, such ascomputer rooms and telecommunicationfacilities. It is listed by UnderwritersLaboratories (UL) and UL of Canada(ULC), and designed in accordance withNFPA Standard 2001: Clean-Agent FireExtinguishing Systems.

NOVEC 1230 fluid has zero ozone-depletion potential, an atmosphericlifetime of just five days, and a globalwarming potential of 1.0. It is approvedby the USEPA under the Significant NewAlternatives Program and registeredunder the European List of NotifiedChemical Substances.Contact: Jim Cox, Ansul Inc., e-mail: jimcox@tycoint.com, www.ansul.com

Reduction (GPCR) technology todemonstrate that the technology could beused for disposal of CFCs and halons. TheCFC-12 was selected because it is a highlystable compound and is believed to be oneof the most difficult to destroy. Thepurpose of the test was to demonstrate thatCFC-12 could be destroyed using GPCRwithout the creation of problematicresiduals. Results confirmed that there wasno CFC-12 detected in the liquid orgaseous outputs, and no residualcompounds were created. A copy of thetest report can be provided upon requestfrom Eco Logic. Contact: Fred Arnold EcoLogic International, Inc.,e-mail: fred.arnold@ecologic.ca, www.ecologic.ca

HALONS

DuPont Brings Total Flooding Halon1301 Replacement to MarketDuPont Fluoroproducts recentlyintroduced a new FE-25 fire extinguishingagent in the U.S. intended to serve as aretrofit replacement for the use of halon-1301 in flooding systems. The new FE-25,or hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-125, agentwill be marketed in the U.S. and Europeby Fike Corporation under the FikeECARO-25 trade mark.

DuPont describes FE-25 as non-ozone-depleting alternative to halon that safelyprotects people, high-value assets andbusiness productivity. The company claimsthat FE-25 is a safe, high-performanceproduct with physical properties similar tohalon-1301, therefore is no majorinvestment or redesign of facilities requiredfor a retrofit.

The company indicated that both theEuropean Union's Committee forStandardization and the U.S. National FireProtection Association have listed HFC-125 as an acceptable replacement forhalon-1301 in existing total floodingsystems. "The ability of ECARO-25 toutilize existing piping structure reduces thecost of conversion and minimizes businessinterruption," said Fike sales and

New Ansul system suppresses fires in computerrooms and telecommunication facilities

METHYL BROMIDE

Using Ozone to Protect Ozone LayerA new study from Purdue UniversityIndiana, USA finds that ozone caneliminate insects in grain storage facilitieswithout harming food quality or theenvironment acting as a potentialalternative to methyl bromide.

When ozone is used for killing graininsects, it lasts for a short period of timeand does not damage the environment orthe grain, Purdue scientists report. "Ozonehas a very short half-life and we're usingrelatively low dosages, but enough to killan insect," said Linda Mason, Purdueentomology associate professor.

"The chemicals currently used can killeverything in and around the grain bin,including people. With ozone, we're notgenerating ozone at deadly concentrations,and we have better control over it whenit's present." Contact: Linda Mason, Purdue University, e-mail: lmason@aes.purdue.edu,www.agriculture.purdue.edu

REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING

Energy-saving RefrigerantsISCEON® 29 and 79 complement theenergy-saving A1/A1 accredited, zeroODP refrigerant ISCEON® 59(R125/R134a/R600). First usedcommercially in 1995, ISCEON® 59 isavailable worldwide as an alternative forHCFC-22 in areas including facilities

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20034

avoids the need for accessories such asoil heaters, pumps, separators andfilters.

Other advantages Turbocor claimsfor this award-winning model, whichworks with either chilled water ordirect-expansion systems, are its lightweight – around one-fifth that of manyconventional compressors – and itsquiet running and soft-start qualities.The company says it runs at a soundlevel of less than 70 dB and draws only2 amps of start-up power, compared to500-600 amps required by moreconventional compressors. Contact: Eugene Smithart, Turbocor, e-mail: smitty@turbocor.com, www.turbocor.com

Navy Investigates Chilling with SoundThe U.S. Office of Naval Research(ONR) has long funded researchers atPenn State, who now have proved theycan build a compact freezer casesubstituting sound waves for chemicalrefrigerants.

"The Navy has been looking foryears for alternatives to freon-basedcooling systems aboard Navy ships tosave energy as well as the environment,"says ONR's Steve McElvany, sciencemanager for the Navy's TRITON (for‘3-ton’) chillers program. "The Navywould like to find an ecologically-friendly way to distribute coolingaboard our carriers. The early researchwe funded in this area has led toGarrett's freezer concept."

The thermo-acoustic freezer caseenvisioned by Dr. Steven Garrett andMatt Poese at Penn State - partiallyfunded by Ben & Jerry's as well as theONR - would use high amplitudesound energy to cool itself.

In tests, Garrett's team used a"souped-up" loudspeaker to generatehigh-amplitude sound energy with inertpressurized gases. While listeners mightnot be able to tolerate amplified musicat decibels higher than 120, Garrett'steam reached sound levels hundreds ofthousands of times higher (173dB), andreached a temperature differential of -8degrees below zero. That’s cool enoughfor that tub of ice cream. And it’s quiteenough, too, to take care of distributedcooling systems in the U.S. Navy fleet. Contact: Gail Cleere, ONR,e-mail: cleereg@onr.navy.mil, www.onr.navy.mil

management, food production,supermarkets, original equipmentmanufacturers (OEMs) and the oilindustry.

Rhodia states that ISCEON® 29provides an opportunity for improvedperformance in water chillers where theequipment is running close to its designcapacity. As with ISCEON® 59, wheresystems have been monitored,ISCEON® 29 has shown reduced energyconsumption when compared withHCFC-22.

ISCEON® 79 is a non-flammable,low-temperature, direct replacement forHCFC-22. It offers a solution forapplications, where a refrigerant withbetter capacity, Coefficient ofPerformance (COP) and 20% lowerGlobal Warming Potential (GWP) thanR-404A / R-507 is required.

All three refrigerants are long-termzero ODP HCFC-22 replacements,working with the traditional lubricant innew and existing equipment. Rhodiaclaims that these refrigerants retainperformance and lower energy costs byup to 10%.Contact: Katy Walters, Rhodia, e-mail: katy.walters@eu.rhodia.comwww.isceon-refrigerants.com

Turbocor Showcases CompressorBreakthrough

Recently showcased at the 2003 EarthTechnology Forum, the TurbocorCompressor is up to 30 percent moreefficient than other compressors in itssize range, according to its manufacturerTurbocor, Inc.. This advanced level ofperformance can be monitored – on siteor remotely – using a web-basedmonitoring and diagnostics system. An oil-free design eliminates the risk of efficiency loss through oilcontamination of the refrigerant andCooler supermarkets with Rhodia’s refrigerants

Turbocor’s ultracompact, oil-free compressor

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20035

China Bans CTC Solvent UseChina has decided to ban nationwidethe use of carbon tetrachloride as acleaning solvent, beginning June 1st, aspart of its national programme toprotect the ozone layer. Any enterprise,environmental protection or otherrelated unit which violates the rules andregulations issued in the circular fromthe State Environmental ProtectionAdministration concerning thetermination of the chlorinatedcompound, will be subject to harshpenalties. Since 1999, China has beengradually reducing its production ofozone-unfriendly fluorinated andchlorinated compounds in compliancewith the Montreal Protocol.Contact: Liu Yi, SEPA, e-mail: nepateco@public.bta.net.cn

U.K. Re-launches 'Take-Back' SchemeThe U.K.-based electric applianceretailer Comet recently announced thereintroduction of its "take-back" servicefor used refrigeration products, whichhad been discontinued last year after theEuropean Union (EU) enacted new

WORLD POLICY ROUNDUPWORLD POLICY ROUNDUP

rules requiring all materials be removedfrom waste refrigeration systems beforebeing discarded. Under the old take-back scheme, Comet said it collectedand disposed of old refrigerators forcustomers who purchased new units.

"When the EU legislation on thedisposal of CFCs in fridges and freezerscame into place at the beginning of2002, retailers had neither thetechnology nor the infrastructure inplace to dispose of refrigerationproducts in accordance to the new laws,and so there was no choice but to stopcollection," said Comet deputymanaging director for operations TomBarry. "Now that Comet has developedthe necessary infrastructures withWincanton, PLC, to meet the newlegislation, we're delighted to be thefirst national electrical retailer to be ableto offer a new take-back service."

The company noted that it willcharge a £15 (about US$ 24) fee tocover disposal costs under the new take-back scheme.Contact: Robin Smith, Comet, e-mail: comet.pressdesk@ehpr.co.ukwww.comet.co.uk

Planning, Designingand ImplementingPolicies to ControlOzone DepletingSubstances under theMontreal Protocol: AHandbook of PolicySetting at the National

Level (OzonAction Programme, 2003). Thishandbook provides developing countrieswith guidance on designing, implementingand sustaining appropriate and effectivepolicies for complying with the Protocol.www.uneptie.org/ozonaction

The latest assessmentreports of the UNEPTechnology andEconomic AssessmentPanel (TEAP) areavailable atwww.teap.org orwww.unep.org/ozone

Vietnam's NationalOffice for ClimateChange and OzoneProtection translatedUNEP's NationalTraining Programmeson Good Practices inRefrigeration intoVietnamese.

The Ozone Layer. Ageneral awarenessbooklet about ozonedepletion and theinternationalresponse producedby the UKDepartment for

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs2003. www.defra.gov/uk

Protecting the OzoneLayer: Science andStrategy by Edward A.Parson (OxfordUniversity Press,2003) examinesparallel developmentsof science, technology,

industry strategy, politics, and negotiations,and shows how these contribute to thesuccessful management of the ozonedepletion issue. www.oup.co.uk

New Publications

ViennaConvention

MontrealProtocol

LondonAmendment

CopenhagenAmendment

MontrealAmendment

BeijingAmendment

Parties ratified at23 June 2003

* New Parties

UN Member States (191)

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* Colombia, Cyprus, Estonia, India, Israel, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Marshal Islands, Mauritius, Thailand

* India, Mauritius, Monaco, Slovenia

* China, Cyprus, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mali

* Kyrgyzstan

The progress in ratification of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments(as at 23 June 2003)

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20036

Uzbekistan Cuts Emissions of ODS

and reuse 52.6 tonnes of CFC-12 refrigerant.Uzbekistan’s refrigeration servicing sector’s demandsfor CFCs are presently entirely satisfied by thoserefrigerants made available through the project. Ithas saved Uzbekistan foreign exchange throughsupplementing CFC refrigerant imports, and hascreated extra working activities for refrigerationservice companies.

The project included conducting 10 trainingworkshops in three major cities. Originally, itplanned to train 350 specialists, but awareness-raising activities by the State Committee for NatureProtection of Uzbekistan generated wide interest,and ultimately 500 specialists underwent training.

Representatives of UNDP, UNEP and

UNOPS called the project an excellent exampleof fruitful cooperation between GEF, UNDP,UNEP, UNOPS, the Government and theprivate sector. The training workshops alsohelped local entrepreneurs to better understandglobal environmental issues and their part inprotecting the ozone layer.

Uzbekistan has been a party to the ViennaConvention and Montreal Protocol since 1993and, in 2000, adopted a National Programme tocontrol and restrict the use of ODS. Theprogramme outlines the strategy and action planfor stage-by-stage phase out of ODS. Thecountry ceased imports of CFC-11 in 2000 andof CFC-12 in 2002.

Another project with assistance of UNDPwill help Sino, the country's largest refrigeratormanufacturer, produce ozone-friendlyrefrigerators that are competitive in price andperformance. The support provided will assistUzbekistan to meet its objective of restricting theconsumption of ODS by 2003.

Contact: Nadejda Dotsenko, State Committee forNature Protection, e-mail: ozon@tkt.uz

The Joint Environment Programme of UNDP,UNEP and the Government of Uzbekistanhas recently completed the activities of aRefrigerant Management Plan (RMP) that hasvirtually stopped accidental emissions of CFCsinto the atmosphere during the servicing andrepair of refrigeration equipment. Componentsof the RMP included a Refrigerant Recoveryand Recycling (R&R) project implementedby UNDP/UNOPS, while the train-the-trainers and customs training activities wereimplemented by UNEP.

The R&R project, with funds from theGlobal Environment Facility (GEF), involvedmore than 100 of the country's enterprises andprivate entrepreneurs engaged in the assembling,maintenance and use of refrigeration equipmentand air-conditioning systems. 430 portablerecovery machines and 300 hand pumps withaccessories for the recovery of CFC-12 refrigerantfrom refrigeration installations, as well as theequipment and machines for 12 recycling stations,have been distributed among these companies.

The R&R project has enabled refrigeration-related businesses and other facilities to recover

Iran Consults Stakeholders on ComplianceAction PlanMethyl bromide is used in Iran mostlyfor post-harvest use, particularly on keyagricultural export products such aspistachio nuts. During 20-21 May2003, the Ozone Layer Protection Unit(OLPU), in close cooperation with thePlant Protection Organisation (PPO) ofthe Ministry of Agriculture in Iran,organised a 2-day consultation meetingof methyl bromide stakeholders todiscuss issues related to the methylbromide phase-out and Iran’s currentcompliance status.

Facilitated by UNEP and invitedexperts, the workshop helped dispelfears among the methyl bromide userswho were concerned about theavailability of effective alternatives formethyl bromide. The workshop alsorecommended that further research onalternatives be undertaken, and thattraining programmes be initiated inorder that alternatives can be readilyadapted.Contact: Mr. Fereidoun Rostami, OLPU,e-mail: environ3@bci.iran.com

University of West Indies Takes Role toLead Halon Information ClearinghouseThe final technical workshop for theEnglish-Speaking Caribbean wasconvened in Trinidad and Tobago on 14-15 April 2003. This workshop wasorganized by UNEP’s Regional Office forLatin America and the Caribbeanthrough bilateral assistance received fromEnvironment Canada.

The main objective was to develop anagreed mechanism for a HalonInformation Clearinghouse (HICH) forthe English-speaking Caribbean, to behoused at the University of the WestIndies (UWI) St. Augustine, Trinidadand Tobago. The UWI will beresponsible for overall administrationand management. The National OzoneUnits of each participating country andtheir ministries will provide informationon their national halon stocks andinventories. A non-governmentalorganization, representing fire protectionindustry would provide ongoingtechnical advice to the UWI. Contact: Mirian Vega, UNEP ROLAC, e-mail: mvega@mail.rolac.unep.mx

Non-chemical Alternative to Methyl BromideParticipants attending the Main Meeting of theLatin America and Spanish-speaking CaribbeanODS Officers Meeting (Bogota, May 5-8, 2003)had the opportunity to visit “Asocolflores” in theRegion of Tenjo, to observe the application of anon-chemical technological alternative to the useof methyl bromide.

Steaming is the introduction of water vaporinto the soil at approximately 100ºC. Soil-bornepests are killed by the latent heat released whenthe steam condenses. During this process the soiltemperature increases to between 60-80ºC for aspecific period (4 to 8 hrs). Soil temperature andtreatment duration determine whether completeelimination (sterilisation) occurs, or only partialremoval of soil microflora (pasteurisation).

Steam and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)were identified as effective alternatives to methylbromide. Countries implementing methyl bromidephase-out projects in the cut-flower sector have chosento adopt these same treatments. Steam with organicamendments is used commercially in Colombia.Commercial adoption of substrates in greenhouseflower production is increasing in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador and many other countries.Contact: Mirian Vega, UNEP ROLAC, e-mail: mvega@mail.rolac.unep.mx

D I A L O G U E A N D D I S C U S S I O NMeetings/Conferences/Workshops

Refrigeration training in Uzbekistan

… I L L E G A L T R A D E …

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20037

NEED TO SHIFT FOCUS

Achieving the Montreal Protocol’s goalswill require an important shift in focusby developing countries and countrieswith economies in transition (CEITs). Todate, the emphasis has been onestablishing phase-out schedules andtechnology conversion. These willcontinue to be primary goals, but twofactors will combine to makeenforcement and compliance a moreintegral part of the Protocol’s ultimatesuccess.

First, most Article 5 countries havenow agreed to the 2010 phase-out datefor Annex A and Annex B ODS, andmost have begun the arduous task oflimiting consumption and production.A World Bank study projects a shortfallin the legitimate supply of Annex A andAnnex B ODS, starting in 2004. Thisshortfall will increase the likelihood ofillegal production and illegal trade, aswell as the potential erosion of theProtocol’s phase-out schedule.Developing nations will need to takedecisive enforcement action to preventthe proliferation of a new black market.

Second, developed countries arestarting the second generation of phase-outs, those for HCFCs and other AnnexC chemicals. Developed countries learnedthe hard way that their phase-out ofAnnex A and B ODS could be hampered,if not crippled, by cheap imports from

Article 5 nations and CEITs. Preventinga new round of smuggling -- of cheap,illegal HCFC imports, this time -- willrequire a concerted enforcement effortfrom both the developed and developingnations.

All countries will benefit from greatercooperation and greater exchange ofinformation. In an effort to foster abetter exchange of information,OzonAction plans to run a series ofarticles on illegal trade, providinginformation on known smugglingproblems.

TRENDS …

The most significant new trend in blackmarket smuggling is the illegal tradeamongst Article 5 nations. Asrestrictions go into place and the twolargest remaining producer countries,China and India, comply withproduction quotas, the supply of AnnexA and B ODS will diminish. Prices inArticle 5 countries, while not yet rivalingthose of Article 2 countries, presentprofitable opportunities for smugglers.Recent intelligence suggests that legaland illegal production is finding its wayinto the black market.

Mexico & Guatemala and India & NepalDuring an ODS training workshop held

in February 2003 inMonterrey, Mexico, theplant manager forMexico’s last remainingproduction facility toldthe audience that hiscompany was legallyexporting CFC-12 toseveral of its neighboringcountries, includingGuatemala. The Mexican company soldGuatemala CFC-12 forapproximately US$ 4/kg,but the same product soldfor approximately US$ 10/kgin Mexico because ofpricing efforts designed torestrict usage. The higherMexican price and excesssupply in Guatemala

caused the exported CFC-12 to besmuggled back into Mexico. This issimilar to a situation on the borderbetween India and Nepal, where Indiaimposed a tax on domestically consumedCFC-12 but not on exports to Nepal.

India and Nepal were made aware ofthis problem and made successfulseizures and convictions that deterred theactivity. Mexico and Guatemala andother Central American countries willneed to work together to correct thisproblem. Adopting an effective licensingsystem and quota system will go a long waytowards preventing legal trade fromgetting into the wrong hands. Until thatoccurs, the Mexican company involveddecided in June 2003 to freeze its CFC-12sales to its Guatemalan customers.

… AND TWISTS

Reverse Retrofitting in MalaysiaDuring a regional ODS training workshopfor South East Asia and the Pacific inNovember 2002, the head of Malaysia’sOzone Protection Unit spoke of anunusual problem in his country. Prior toMalaysia’s CFC-12 phase-out, its marketswere saturated with cheap imports.

While these imports were legal, thesaturation resulted in a considerably lowerprice for CFC-12 than the ozone-friendlyalternative HFC-134a. The lower pricecaused auto mechanics who were servicingcar air conditioning systems to beginreverse retrofitting -- that is, using CFC-12to service cars built with HFC-134asystems.

While Malaysia may be the first toacknowledge this problem, they may notbe alone. Many Article 5 countries sawlarge increases in CFC-12 imports prior tostarting their phase-out. This advancedstockpiling has caused temporaryoversupply in a number of countries.

National Ozone Units need to workclosely with industry and the public, toeducate them about the harm caused tohuman health and the environment byreverse retrofitting. Not only does thispractice put a country at risk of supplyshortages in later years of the phase-out,but it also represents a one-time netincrease in CFC-12 usage that was notcontemplated by the Protocol. Customs officers at the frontline of the Montreal Protocol

…

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20038

Mining “Enforcement Gold” inSouth AfricaIn 2002, South Africa’s NOU wasflooded with requests to import “used”CFC-12 into the United States. Oneof the exporting businesses claimed tohave recovered 14,250 kg fromequipment used in certain SouthAfrican gold mine operations. Prior toapproving these exports, the NOUcontacted the gold mine to determinewhether the CFC-12 was truly arecovered product. The NOUdiscovered that the gold mine operatorshad never heard of the exportingbusinessmen, and had not “recovered”any CFC-12 from the miningoperations. Thanks to the diligence ofthe NOU, the South African exportpermits and U.S. import permits weredenied and the product was seized.

The South Africa NOU should becommended for its prompt response tothis problem. This example shows thatNOUs need to play close attention torequests for exports of “recovered”products. NOUs faced with suchrequests should ask whether theamounts claimed are realistic, given thecountries’ supply and recyclingpractices. The NOU should also askthe exporting nation probing questionsabout the CFC-12's source. If thesource can not be verified, the exportshould be prevented until the recoveryclaims are sorted out. This examplealso points out the need for all partiesto the Protocol to have effectivelicensing systems.

Without such systems, there wouldhave been no legal means for SouthAfrica to prevent these disguisedshipments from being exported. Themost the NOU might have been able todo would have been to alert theimporting country of the potentialproblem. Contact: Sam S. Manikela, DEAT, South Africa,e-mail: Smanikela@ozone.pwv.gov.za

These are just a few examples of theillegal trade issues facing developed anddeveloping countries. OzonAction isinterested in learning about other illegaltrade problems. Please contact us atozonaction@unep.fr if you would like toshare lessons learned from illegal tradeproblems in your country.

Environmental Crime and Environmental Security at the Border

(MEAs), the World Customs Organization(WCO) and Interpol have agreed to join forcesto create an integrated “Green Customs”approach to training Customs officials. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)was signed between WCO and UNEP on 2June 2003. The programme is designed toprovide customs agencies with a “block” ofenvironmental crime training that will cover allenforcement of MEA components that focus onprocessing and inspecting dangerous goods. Thetraining will be delivered through regional trainthe trainer workshops and will be designed forincorporation into a country’s national customstraining programme. OzonAction has launcheda Green Customs web site to help facilitate thisprogramme. It contains important informationabout upcoming training programs, trainingmaterial, a list of expertise trainers and updates oncurrent events.

Conatct: Suresh Raj, UNEP,e-mail: suresh.raj@unep.fr,www.uneptie.org/ozonaction/customs

Illegal trade in ODS, hazardous waste, andprotected species is a thriving internationalbusiness that produces over US$ 1 billion peryear in profits. Intelligence reports fromvarious enforcement networks indicate thatorganised crime is responsible for up to 50%of the illegal trade in these commodities. Thisproblem has new significance as certainregulated chemicals could also be used interrorist attacks. The combination oforganised crime and dangerous chemicalsposes a serious security threat to human healthand the environment.

Customs agencies are at the forefront ofevery country’s efforts to combat illegal tradeand maintain security. Recent statistics indicatethat they are responsible for up to 60% ofendangered species and ODS seizures.Customs training is critical to theseenforcement efforts particularly in developingcountries where national training programsmay be lacking. The secretariats of threemultilateral environmental agreements

World CustomsOrganization's SecretaryGeneral, Mr. MichelDanet, (left), and UnitedNations EnvironmentProgramme’s ExecutiveDirector, Mr. KlausToepfer, exchange copiesof the MOU

identifier (provided under the CustomsTraining Project) discovered that the shipmentwas in fact comprised of 100% CFC-12. Thisis a classic case of smuggling through falsedeclaration and mislabelling. The refrigerantswould probably have been sold tounsuspecting workshops which, in turn,would then place the CFC-12 gas into a carfitted with HFC-134a compressors – thusleading to possible failure of the AC system.

NOUs and Customs offices should beconstantly aware of such practices, since similarcases can happen in other countries. Importerscan make a significant profit by selling CFC-12 refrigerants at HFC-134a prices.Contact: Prudencio Calado, DENR,e-mail: ozonewatch@vasia.com

Breaking news

Philippines’ Vigilance Thwarts CFCSmugglersThe Philippines Department of Environmentand Natural Resources (DENR) and theBureau of Customs recently apprehended anillegal shipment of 1,140 disposablecylinders (DAC) containing CFC-12. At therate of 13.6 kg/DAC, that is 15.5 MT. Theimporter had asked the Philippines OzoneDesk (POD) for approval to importHFC-134a from Shanghai, China. Theozone staff, however, noticed that the priceof the shipment was extremely low andbecame suspicious. The POD then askedCustoms to place the shipment on alert.

The result was that, on 29May 2003, ajoint Customs-DENR team with a refrigerant

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 20039

mainly provide statistics on the rise oftemperatures and sea levels, acid rain anddamage to the ozone layer.

The 100 m high weather tower wasbuilt near Jinzhou City near the Bohai Sea.The station would combine satelliteremote-sensing technology with long-termground observation to monitor theecological changes in the coastal area ofLiaoning. Jinzhou was chosen because thisarea could provide many ecologicalphenomena for observation and studydroughts, flooding, desertification, andsandstorms. With more than 2,600 weatherobservatories and stations, China hasformed a complete weather monitoring andforecast system. The establishment ofecological weather stations is an extensionof the country’s weather service.

Source: www.china.org.cn/english

Dramatic Proof of Ozone Hole’s Effect Scientists from Otago University (NewZealand) and the University of NewHampshire (United States) have found thatultraviolet radiation, no longer blocked byozone, is penetrating Antartic sea ice 2.5mthick to affect the organisms livingunderneath. Some eggs laid by sea urchinsare being grossly deformed, their usual near-perfect circular shape distorted like a badlyburned human body. Others are dying.

By installing protective screens in someareas and not others, the scientists have beenable to show that radiation is cutting thesurvival rate of newly hatched eggs by 30 to40 per cent. In areas where there was no seaice and the eggs were exposed on the sea’ssurface, none survived.

"They were really quite dramaticresults," said Dr Miles Lamare of OtagoUniversity. He said the results were "highlyconservative" because the ozone hole overAntarctica this summer was much weakerthan in the previous few years. He plans torepeat the tests next summer, when theozone hole may be more serious again.

In recent years the ozone hole hasformed over Antarctica around Septembereach year, when clouds form in thestratosphere high above the poles and reactwith CFCs to remove the ozone, whichnormally blocks ultraviolet radiation.

Source: Miles Lamare, Otago University, e-mail: miles.lamare@Stonebow.otago.ac.nzwww.otago.ac.nz/MarineScience

Scientists Discover MCF in Air over EuropeA team of researchers from the University ofUtrecht in the Netherlands recently announcedthey have identified traces of the ozone-depleting industrial solvent methyl chloroform(MCF) in the atmosphere over Europe.

However, University of Utrecht researcherMaarten Krol said the presence of MCFemissions is more likely attributable to such"sleeping" sources as buried waste than to anyEuropean country violating the internationalban on MCF, established under the MontrealProtocol.

While Krol maintains that the amount ofrecently discovered atmospheric MCF is"relatively insignificant," the research teamnoted that levels of the chemical hydroxyl,which helps cleanse the air of pollutants, maynot have declined as greatly as previouslyassumed due to the underestimation of MCFemissions.

To measure MCF levels, Krol said a HerculesC-130 plane was flown over the Alps, centralEurope and Germany last year. Krol noted thatprevious MCF emissions estimates were basedon MCF production and usage figures, as wellas atmospheric measurements in westernIreland.

According to Krol, atmospheric airflowsimulations identify central and southernEurope as the most likely sources of the MCFemissions.

Source: Maarten Krol, University of Utrecht, e-mail: M.Krol@phys.uu.nl, www.phys.uu.nl

Ecological Weather Station Set up in NEChinaA newly-built weather tower in LiaoningProvince is to be put into use soon tomonitor ecological changes in the area. Asthe first ecological weather station inChina, the weather tower would observe thelocal ecological system, according to anofficial with Liaoning provincialmeteorological bureau. The station would

Science News

At its 39th Meeting in April 2003 theExCom approved a new Regional Networkfor ten Article 5 Countries in EasternEurope and Central Asia. This network isfunded by the Multilateral Fund andbilateral agencies.

The following countries will participatein the network: Albania, Armenia, Bosniaand Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan,Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,Moldova, Romania, Serbia andMontenegro and Turkey. The financial and/orpolicy support for the network will be providedby Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic,Hungary, the Slovak Republic and Sweden.

The main objective of this network isto strengthen the capacity of NationalOzone Units (NOUs) in the region forsustained compliance with the MontrealProtocol.

Regional networks have proven to bean effective means of institutionalcapacity-building for the management ofODS phase-out in a highly cost-effectivemanner. By strengthening localexpertise, and providing an opportunityto work together with other countries inthe region, networking activities promotethe accelerated low-cost phase-out ofODS.

Within the framework of the newnetwork, consultation meetings with thecountry representatives have beenplanned for the fourth quarter of 2003.Contact: Leo Heileman UNEP, e-mail:leo.heileman@unep.frwww.uneptie.org/ozonaction

Eastern Europe and CentralAsia join Regional Network ofODS Officers

SWED

EN

TURKEY

GEORGIA

ALBANIA

MACEDONIA

HUNGARY

SERBIA

MONTENEGRO

SLOVAKCZECH

AUSTRIA

CROATIA

BOSNIA &HERZEGOVINA

ROMANIA

MOLDOVA

ARMENIA

KYRGYSTAN

Hercules C-130 taking samples

OzonAction Newsletter Number 44 • June 200310

This newsletter is available online at:www.uneptie.org/ozonactionOzonAction, a tri-annual publication, is available inArabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

The contents of this newsletter are provided forinformation and do not necessarily represent the policyof UNEP.

Review Board: Mrs J. Aloisi de Larderel, Dr S. Andersen, Mr P. Bakken, Dr N. Campbell, Dr S. Carvalho, Dr O. El-Arini, Mr M. Gonzalez, Mr P. Horwitz, H.E. T. Inomata, Mrs I. Kökeritz, Dr L. Kuijpers, Mr G. Nardini, Mr K. M. Sarma,Mr R. Shende, Mr D. Stirpe, Mr Liu Yi

Contributing Editor: Mr Robert Lamb

Publication Manager: Ms Anne Fenner

Information Manager: Mr Jim Curlin

Please send comments and material for publication toMr Rajendra Shende, Head, Energy and OzonActionBranch, at the address below.

UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMMEDIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY ANDECONOMICS (UNEP DTIE)OzonAction ProgrammeTour Mirabeau 39–43, Quai Andre Citroën, 75739 Paris, Cedex 15, France

TEL: +33 1 44 37 14 50 FAX: +33 1 44 37 14 74

E-MAIL: ozonaction@unep.fr

www.uneptie.org/ozonaction

This publication is printed on cyclus paper . Design andproduction by Gerafer, Annecy, France, www.gerafer.com

Gebru Jember

Assistant ODS Officer, NationalMeteorological Services Agency, Ethiopiae-mail: nmsa@telecom.net.et

Ethiopia was very proactive in completing itscountry programme in 1996. Which of themain projects completed by Ethiopia had animpact on ODS phase out?

Ethiopia ratified both the ViennaConvention and the Montreal Protocol inOctober 1994 and less than a year later, inSeptember 1995, the government formed aNational Ozone Committee of relevantgovernmental, non-governmental andresearch-based organizations.

This Committee is responsible foradvising the government and makingdecisions relating to ozone issues. It hasbeen involved in various activities towardsthe implementation of the Protocol,including an ODS data survey. This surveywas followed by the preparation of acountry programme which was submittedthrough UNEP and approved at the 20thExCom Meeting.

Ethiopia has also taken significant stepsto phase out ODS consumption under itsinstitutional strengthening project byadvancing awareness activities, enhancingODS legislation, completing a recovery andrecycling project and continuing to extendthe surveying and collection of data onODS consumption.

Ethiopia has been a member of English-speaking Regional Network of ODS Officersand benefited from institutional strengthening.

Recently the Ozone Office, incollaboration with GTZ, hired a nationalconsultant and conducted the survey forhalon-1211 and 1301. A national HalonBank Workshop was organized two monthsago. Following this workshop, the office isnow awaiting the recovery and recyclingmachine for halon-1211 and 1301, whichwill rotate around southern andsoutheastern African countries.

Which policies had most effect on helpingEthiopia comply with the Protocol?

The approval of legislation has paved theway to enforce Draft Regulations. But theEthiopian customs authority is takingsignificant measures to comply with theProtocol by imposing lower taxes on ozone-friendly substances than on others.

The 14th Meeting of the Parties (November2002) declared that Ethiopia was in non-compliance with the CFC consumptionfreeze. What are the top compliancechallenges facing your country?

The biggest challenges have been the delay ofthe recovery and recycling refrigerant projectand the non-delivery of items necessary forthe training of refrigeration technicians.

What steps is Ethiopia taking to return tocompliance?

To return to compliance, the NOU is oncourse to ratify the amendments to theProtocol, approve any outstanding legislationand implement regulations and the licensingsystem. Ethiopia is also training customs andenforcement officers based in different parts ofthe country to prevent smuggling. A licensingsystem has been successfully introduced tocontrol and monitor the amount of ODSentering or leaving the country and aRefrigerant Management Plan is in place. Wealso have comprehensive phase-out plans andstrategies for the refrigeration and airconditioning sectors, using a ‘train the trainer’approach to enable technical managers andinstructors from technical training institutes totrain air conditioning and refrigerationengineers.

In addition, we aim to distribute recoveryand recycling equipment to different parts ofthe country, according to their consumptionlevels. And we intend to persevere with publicawareness programmes and with measures forthe recovery and recycling of halon-1211 and1301, as well as for strengthening the Halon Bank.

The National Ozone Unit InterviewThis is one of a series of articles featuring the views of national ODS officers

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1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

CFC ConsumptionAnnex A1 CFC Freeze Level

Trend in CFC consumption in Ethiopia

OPD

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Forthcoming meetings

XXI IIR International Congress of Refrigeration, 17-22 August 2003, Washington DC USA. www.icr2003.org

World Ozone Day, 16 September 2003, global.www.unep.org/ozone

15th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, 10-14 November 2003, Nairobi, Kenya. www.unep.org/ozone/

Sweden Maintains Momentumto Support Networks

The government of Sweden has extended itsfinancial support for three more years to theRegional Network of ODS Officers in SouthEast Asia and the Pacific.

Since 1993 Sweden hasbeen promoting theRegional Networkingconcept as a cost-effectivemeans to assist developingcountries with meeting theircompliance obligations

under the Montreal Protocol. For more details, seewww.uneptie.org/ozonaction/library/policy

Source: OzonAction, Article 7 data