A seminar on Turkmenistan’s implementation of the Montreal Protocol to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was held at the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Environmental inspectors from Turkmenistan’s state hydrometeorology and environmental control services attended the seminar, according to the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper.
The seminar presented updated information on the introduction of ozone- and climate-safe freons in the refrigeration industry at the national and international levels, the development of a certification system in Turkmenistan for refrigeration equipment installation and maintenance specialists and service companies, and the planning of a system for the recycling, reuse, and destruction of ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
The Ozone Office under the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan provides documentary evidence of compliance with the Montreal Protocol and its five amendments, prepares reports for international organizations, and collaborates on joint projects between the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
The current project runs from 2022 to 2025. Meteorologists from Turkmenistan monitor the concentration of ozone over the country’s territory, processing data daily. Summary information for all regions and continents is discussed at the global Ozone meeting, which is attended by government environmentalists.
As part of the project in Turkmenistan, the creation of a center for the collection of refrigerants from old equipment will begin next year to restore their consumer properties for reuse or environment-friendly disposal.
Representatives of the authorized association will carry out this work under license, minimizing the risk of acquiring illegal ODS and preventing the release of these substances into the environment.
It was noted that the use of all prohibited ODS in Turkmenistan is minimized, with only one, R-22, still in use.
The State Customs Service of Turkmenistan actively participates in controlling the circulation of refrigerants. Control is carried out by checking documents and the contents of cylinders.
Turkmenistan does not produce its own ozone-depleting substances or hydrofluorocarbons. China, Turkey, and India are the main exporters of these substances to Turkmenistan.
The main causes of ozone layer depletion are emissions into the atmosphere of large quantities of substances containing chlorine, bromine, and fluorine radicals, which act as catalysts and contribute to ozone breakdown. Refrigerants containing these substances have been replaced with intermediate refrigerants, which are constantly being reviewed. These refrigerants are used in the production of refrigeration and freezing equipment, air conditioning systems, foaming agents, fire protection products, aerosols, and metered-dose inhalers.
Most ODS are also greenhouse gases, and their phased elimination helps protect not only the ozone layer but also the global climate.
Turkmenistan has ratified all global ozone agreements. The country has a Law “On the Protection of the Ozone Layer” (2009), which sets out rules for the import of refrigerants and the import and export of freon-powered equipment. Amendments are currently being prepared to this law due to the implementation of certification for refrigeration technicians and service companies. ///nCa, 6 December 2023