Nigeria

Govt, UNDP equip refrigeration technicians for CFC phase out

The campaign to curb the depletion of the Earth's spread its roots last week following a synergy struck between government and members of the Nigeria Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Practitioners (NARAP) over phasing out the use of Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS) in the country.

Coming under the National Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) Phase out Plan for Nigeria, the programme is being implemented by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through its project office, the Ozone Programme Implementation and Management Unit (OPIAMU) and in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment (FME).

Up to 17 branches of the association, drawn from Kwara, Plateau, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Kano, Ekiti, Benue, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Delta, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Abuja, which members have undergone training on retrofitting of CFC-12 based domestic refrigerators to hydrocarbon blends and other drop in substitutes were last week in Lagos presented with equipment for the implementation of the country's recovery and recycling programme. No fewer than 72 metric tonnes of CFC-12 is expected to be recycled on an annual basis.

The Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, at its 38th meeting approved a National CFC Phase out Plan for Nigeria in the amount of US$13.1m, excluding Agency support costs. The funding is to be released in eight tranches till the project is concluded in 2010.

The Plan consists of a combination of investment, policy and management support components. UNDP as the leading agency for the implementation of the plan is providing technical and infrastructure support for the implementation of the plan.

Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey who made the presentation of the equipment to refrigeration associations noted that the hand over opened a new chapter in the CFC phase out efforts as the technicians, having received training on good refrigeration practices, will make the best use of the equipment to reduce the venting of CFCs into the atmosphere in the process of refrigeration and equipment maintenance in the country.

The Minister, who was represented by the Controller, FME, Lagos Zonal Office, Mrs. Funke Babade, urged the technicians to put the equipment to proper use and assured them that the ministry would use its monitoring mechanism to ensure effective utilization of the equipments.

The National Coordinator, OPIAMU, Dr. D.B. Omotosho explained that the objective of the project was to enhance the good refrigerant management practices training provided to technicians and practitioners by recovery and recycling of refrigerants currently being vented both from repair and maintenance activities and from decommissioning and retrofitting of CFC based equipment.

He said another objectives of this project was to implement a National Recovery and Recycling project in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning sector while implementation will lead to capture of refrigerants currently being vented, both from repair and maintenance activities and from decommissioning and retrofitting of CFC based equipment.

"It was discovered that in order to enable technicians cope with the stock of R-12 based fridges in the country, that they would need a good grounding in hydro carbon drop - in technology. The recovered and recycled refrigerant will lead to reduced dependency on imports and provide for a stock to meet the requirement of the service tail of CFC-12 based equipment continuing in service till the end of their economic life. The government would like to ensure availability of CFC-12 for refrigeration servicing as long as necessary and practical," Omotosho said.

The National Executive President, NARAP, Alhaji Sikiru Rufai pledged the association's commitment towards proper utillization of the equipment and ensuring the country meets up with its phase out plan.

The Guardian