Four ozone-saving projects planned
By JASON CHEAH
KUALA LUMPUR: A national networking system to recover and recycle ozone-depleting substances (ODS) will be set up soon.
This is one of the four projects approved by the Montreal Protocol multi-lateral fund to assist Malaysia in its programme to phase out ODS.
Department of Environment Deputy Director-General Tan Meng Leng said yesterday funds totalling US$2.28 million (RMS.89 million) had been approved for the projects.
The first project involves setting up between 180 and 200 mobile air-conditioning gas recycling centres nationwide. The centres will collect all CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and use them over and over again.
Tan told reporters at the National Ozone Depleting Substances Conference here that RM2.38 million had been set aside for this project.
The second project costing RM1.86 million involves the recovery and recycling of halons.
"Malaysia has a large stock of halons, which is a fire-fighting agent," said Tan.
"What we propose to do is to collect them so that they will not escape into the air," he said, adding they will be re-used because the gases are expensive.
The third project costing RM831,000 will be to set up a CFC unit as part of Malaysia’s institutional strengthening programme.
The fourth project, for which RM830,000 had been approved, will develop the technology to do away with CFCs.
This will be carried by a food packaging company, Tan said.
Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding said several other ozone-saving proposals are being prepared.
These will be submitted to the national steering committee on ODS for consideration for financial assistance.
These are projects involving refrigerants (RM5.42 million). aerosols (RM4.3 million), and solvents (RM25.14 million).
Be specific in seeking help, Law tells SMIs
KUALA LUMPUR: Small and medium-scale industries (SMIs) should be specific when seeking help to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS), Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding said.
"SMIs should be more forthcoming in presenting their case, as they are in the best position to know what they need and expect," Law told reporters after opening the National Ozone Depleting Substances Conference here yesterday.
There is now no definite substitute for such ODS.
He said he was "not so worried" about the multinationals as they had their own long-term programmes, which the SMIs cannot afford.
Law said a consortium had recently been formed to assist the SMIs.
In his keynote address, he said early adoption of new technologies and reduction of ODS dependence will ensure that Malaysian industries stay ahead of competitors.
The Montreal Protocol multi-lateral fund is now available to help the industries to make necessary changes.
Signatories of the Montreal Protocol are supposed to phase out the use of certain ODSs by 1996. However, Malaysia has been given a grace period, until the year 2000, to do so.
"But the industries must examine their own cases and specify their own needs, for only they know the type of assistance required."
Law also warned industrialised countries and implementing agencies not to evade funding the cost of developing countries’ compliance with the Montreal Protocol.
"This would be counterproductive as developing countries would have no adequate support to switch over to alternatives," he said.
Source : July 21 1993
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