EMB 12 to involve LGUs in campaign to phase out HCFCs

The Environmental Management  Bureau  (EMB) is seeking collaboration with local government units in its  campaign for the  phase out of Hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFCs), an official of the agency said.  

Engr.  Elias Mamongcal, ozone desk office and chief of the Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Section  confirmed  that the  EMB  is currently drafting a joint agreement  with the  Department of the Interior and Local  Government and Department of Trade and Industry that  would improve the participation of   municipal  and city governments  in the Montreal  Protocol  on ozone  depleting substances (ODS).

This efforts, he said, is particularly intended to hasten the phase out the use of HCFCs not later than year 2040.

“We need our LGUs to join us monitor the ODS consumption at the grassroots level,” Mamongcal said.

Mamongcal said, EMB has identified four major dealers of HCFC in South Cotabato but added that retailers  also  play major role in the HCFC phase-out management plan.

“This is where the LGUs could help us because we need local legislation to facilitate and ensure the implementation is in getting in every household,” he said.

In an earlier report, EMB 12 OIC Regional Director Socorro Lanto noted that only HCFC is the only ODS needed to be phased out in the Philippines.

HCFC is a large group of compounds whose structure very close to chloroflourocarbons CFCs that causes depletion of the earth’s ozone layer.

After the phase out of CFCs, HCFCs are used as replacement in several applications such as refrigerants in  refrigerators, freezers and air conditioning systems as  well as in the production of insulative foams.

Mamongcal said, the joint agreement may possibly be signed in 2015.

Once signed, the agreement  would  guarantee  the  monitoring by DTI of HCFC products in the business permit issuance and renewal.

 On the  other hand,  LGUs  will be  mandated to pass local  ordinance to  hasten the  implementation of the  phase out management  plan.

Director  Lanto  also  explained  that  in line with the  HCFC phase  out  management  plan, they have intensified  information, education and communication  campaign.

In August,  EMB  gathered over 30 representatives of the servicing  industry sector in SOCCSKSARGEN for a  forum  to update  them  regarding the phase out plan and encourage their participation in the plan.

 The HCFC Phase-out Management Plan in the country was  launched in 2010.

In 2011,  DENR  Secretary  Ramon Paje  declared  that starting  2013, the  Philippine  government will put  a cap on the importation of HCFC  to 2,644  metric  tonnes.

From this base level, HCFC import will  gradually  be  reduced   by 10 per cent  to  2,379.6 tonnes by 2015, 35 per cent to 1,718.6 tonnes by 2020, then 67.5 per cent to 859.3 tonnes in 2025.

From 2030 to 2039, DENR will only allow importation of 66.1 tonnes per year for use by the service sector.

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