EPA Sensitises Scrap Dealers, Technicians to Protect Ozone Layer

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last Friday 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 under 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.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the sensitisation workshop in Cape Coast, 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.”

“We are promoting the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants such as R600 for refrigerators and R290 for air conditioners. These are ozone- and climate-friendly alternatives. The government’s target is that by 2030, at least 70 per cent of appliances in Ghana should use these green refrigerants,” he stated.

The country, he stressed, remained committed to the global climate agenda and that the EPA allocated import quotas for refrigerants to ensure that the country steadily reduces its reliance on harmful chemicals.

He also stressed the importance of fairness in global climate discussions, noting that developed countries, which contributed most to global emissions, must continue to provide financial and technical support to developing nations to enable them to adapt effectively.

For his part, the Head of Environment and Climate at UNDP Ghana, Dr Abdul-Razak Saeed, said 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 on how to dispose of old appliances properly to prevent harmful substances from escaping into the atmosphere and damaging the ozone layer.

Dr Saeed indicated that the UNDP and EPA had also sensitised senior high school students, encouraging them to develop environmentally conscious habits.

Again, he said the UNDP’s collaboration with the EPA formed part of Ghana’s broader commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).