By Zareef Muzammil
BERANANG, Sept 23 — The refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector is urged to equip its service technicians with best practices to prevent the release of ozone-depleting substances, such as hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), into the atmosphere while carrying out maintenance works.
Selangor State Environment, Green Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said this is in line with the second phase of the management plan to eliminate HCFC, which began from 2017 until 2021.
The plan focuses on changing the technology by switching to more ozone-friendly components (insulator or solvent) such as cyclopentane.
“Every trained technician must obtain accreditation from registered training centres certified by the Department of Environment (DoE).
“We hope this industry will play the role of ensuring that parties involved will have the adequate equipment to draw out and store gaseous components without releasing them into the air, which would damage the ozone layer,” he said.
Hee was met after attending the launch of Save the Ozone Layer Awareness programme in conjunction with the state level’s World Ozone Day 2020 at Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) Professional College in Kajang yesterday.
He added that the state government is committed to control and eliminate the use of ozone-depleting substances to improve the global climate condition.
“Our country has managed to cut the use of first-generation ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halon and carbon tetrachloride in 2010 and now we are taking the same steps towards eliminating our dependency on HCFC (which is the second generation ozone-depleting substance),” he explained.
The World Ozone Day is celebrated on September 16 every year to raise environmental awareness especially towards issues concerning the increased thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer.
Themed ‘Ozone for Life — 35 years of Ozone Layer Protection’ this year, the celebration is reflective of a society’s collaborative effort towards the creation of a healthier environment.
