Rwanda has embarked on reducing its use of ozone-depleting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), where by the country managed to reduce by 54%, the importation of these harmful gases, official sources said on Sunday
Martine Uwera, the National Focal Point of Montreal Protocol, said that Rwanda has reduced the importation of chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) from 4.1 tonnes in 2010 to 1.89 tonnes currently.
“We have reduced ozone depleting substances by 54 per cent and there is still a gap of 2.21 tonnes which we seek to phase out by 2030,” she said.
Rwanda aims to eliminate HFCs and other global warming gases from its refrigeration and air-conditioning industries, in keeping with the 2016 Kigali Amendment, a global pledge to gradually phase down HFCs.
The Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer was adopted by the 197 signatories of the protocol in 2016, and took effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
The effects of ozone layer depletion on human beings include skin cancer, risk of cataract, weakened human immune systems, DNA damage and lung diseases as ultraviolet radiations disturb biomolecules such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.
If not phased out, the substances could pose different effects risks which include food shortage as the radiations disturb developmental and physiological processes that decrease the productivity of crops as well as loss of wildlife since ozone depletion lead to a loss of plant species and reduce global food supply.
“Currently new appliances such as fridges that use ozone depleting substances are not allowed to be imported,” the Rwandan official said.
CU/abj/APA