-under gov’t HCFCs phase-out programme

Twenty-two young technicians were on Thursday issued their retrofitter licences after completing a six-week training exercise at the Government Technical Institute (GTI).

According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the training was facilitated by the Hydrometeorological Department of the MoA and forms part of Guyana’s efforts to eliminate the consumption of ozone-depleting substances through a phase-out schedule.

A release from the ministry stated that Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who offered remarks at the simple handing-over exercise, assured that the government was working to ensure additional environmentally- and climate-friendly technologies are utilised in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

“We have, so far, been successful in eliminating some of the gases that have been destroying the ozone layer. We’ve also been advocating for the use of more climate-friendly substances. Climate change is a critical subject that needs to be taken seriously. As a developing country, issues surrounding climate change are extremely important. Guyana is currently experiencing severe flooding as a result of climate change. Rivers have risen and we are experiencing prolonged and more intense rainy seasons. As a people, we should strive to secure our environment. I know that the training that you would’ve received has equipped you with the knowledge to carry out the services needed to add to what government is doing to eliminate the use of those chemicals that continue to pose a threat to our environment,” Minister Mustapha was quoted as saying.

The release stated that Guyana is currently implementing a programme to phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) - a group of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) primarily used in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

Chief Hydromet Officer Dr Garvin Cummings, who was also present at the ceremony, noted that for years the National Ozone Action Unit (NOAU) has been involved in meeting Guyana’s obligation under the Montreal Protocol for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances.

“Guyana has successfully phased out Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and is now in the process of phasing out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) under the HFC Management Plan Project. As the world moves towards a stronger climate and environmental knowledge, new technology is being embraced to address the challenges related to the ozone layer and also those challenges related to climate change. As the technologies evolve to address the challenges in the environment, we must also train our people so that they can adequately use these technologies and resources. Part of the NOAU’s mandate is to work with the Ministry of Education and the technical institutions to train technicians to utilize technology that are both ozone and climate-friendly,” Dr Cummings explained.

The NOAU, in collaboration of the Ministry of Education, the Cooling Industry, and the Technical Institutes, has been involved in the training of technicians in the Refrigeration and AirConditioning (RAC) sector to upgrade their skills and ensure that they perform their tasks using safe practices.

After undergoing 48 hours of training over a six-week period, technicians would then apply to the NOAU for their licences. A board consisting of experts from the RAC sector, the Cooling Industry, and the Ministry of Education (Technical), would then evaluate the students, and those that are successful would later be issued with their Retrofitter Licence.

RAC Technicians are required to continually upgrade their skills in order to handle the new refrigerants and technology and to be prepared to meet and deal with rising challenges in the cooling and freezing industry.

Guyana became a party to the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances the Deplete the Ozone Layer on 12 August 1993 and subsequently ratified the London, Copenhagen, and Montreal Amendments on July 23, 1999.

As a party to the Montreal Protocol, Guyana is required to eliminate the consumption of ozone-depleting substances, through a step-wise phase-out schedule. Since the ratification of the Montreal Protocol Guyana has implemented several initiatives to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS).

So far, there has been an amendment to the Montreal Protocol - the Kigali Amendment - which has already entered into force, since January 1, 2019. This now focuses on the phase-out of HFCs refrigerants, which although are ozone-friendly, are known to be greenhouse gases more potent than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the release added.