Clark, Philippines, 13 - 15 November 2024 – UNEP’s OzonAction Asia-Pacific Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP) team organized the Joint Thematic Workshop of Southeast Asia (SEA) and Pacific Island Countries (PIC) National Ozone Officers (NOOs). The workshop brought together experts and partners to discuss critical issues related to the management of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The sessions focused on policy, management options and initiatives in the region for managing banks of used and unwanted controlled substances, aiming to strengthen the capacity of NOOs in the region.
The workshop tackled challenges of managing used or unwanted controlled substances in the Southeast Asia and Pacific Island Countries region. These substances threaten the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. The Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment provide a framework for addressing this issue, but the lack of infrastructure and expertise in many developing countries has hindered effective management.
The workshop was designed to equip the NOOs with requisite knowledge and skills to effectively manage used or unwanted controlled substances. This encompassed a comprehensive understanding of the definition and methodology for preparing an inventory of banks, elucidating the concept of sound management, and assessing the options most suitable for each country's unique context. Moreover, the workshop explored potential policy frameworks and options for effective management of unwanted controlled substances, potential financial resources to sustain the operation, and the roles of relevant stakeholders in the management of these substances.
The workshop has yielded several key takeaways for the countries. Regarding the life-cycle refrigerant management (LRM), the sessions emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to managing refrigerants throughout their entire life cycle, including leak prevention, recovery, recycling, reclamation, destruction, and end-of-life equipment management. Participants discussed the needs for comprehensive inventories to track refrigerants, identify facilities and their capacities, and understand current practices. This information is crucial for effective decision-making, policy development, financing, and monitoring progress. It also highlighted the importance of enforceable regulatory frameworks tailored to each country's context. Collaboration and industry engagement were identified as crucial factors for the success of LRM programmes. By bringing industry stakeholders on board, countries can promote collaborative responsibility, cost-sharing, and the long-term viability of LRM schemes.
“This workshop is organized at the right time when Article 5 countries are preparing the national inventories of banks of used or unwanted controlled substances and a plan for the collection, transport and disposal of such substances, including consideration of recycling, reclamation and cost-effective destruction under the Multilateral Fund. The life-cycle refrigerant management is complex subject and is a new area of work that the National Ozone Unit needs to focus in the next 2 years. Experience sharing and discussion during this workshop is very helpful for us to understand more on this subject to enable us to prepare comprehensive national inventories of banks and a plan of action” - said Ms. Suryanti Jumin, the National Ozone Officer of Brunei Darussalam.
During the workshop through the breakout session, countries also identified several challenges faced in implementing LRM, including data availability and reliability issues such as incomplete records and unreliable data from the stakeholders due to the absence of centralized databases and a lack of mandatory regulations for substance/equipment tracking and reporting of movement - all of which impede the development of accurate inventories. Regulatory and legislative challenges stemming from a lack of compulsory requirements for proper management of controlled substances throughout its life cycle e.g., requirements for mandatory recovery and reuse of controlled substances, while virgin substances are available at affordable prices and unclear definitions by local regulations whether recovered substances are classified as “used” or “waste”. Technical and infrastructure limitations, including, a lack of recovery cylinder and recovery machine, lack of refrigerant identifier to ensure no cross contamination during recovery of substances, unavailability of centralized reclamation/destruction facility, which hinders the collection effort by the industry. With the above challenges, in most Article 5 Parties, there is no established mechanism to sustain the operation of LRM.
“As a new National Ozone Project Officer and given Cook Islands being part of the regional project, this workshop has been invaluable in understanding the management of unwanted ODS and HFC banks. The knowledge gained on sound practices and stakeholder roles will significantly enhance our capacity to understand what is needed to implement effective strategies and meet our commitments under the Montreal Protocol”, said Mr. Ngatupuna Kae, Cook Islands Project Officer
Participants further examined mechanisms for sustainable operation of the LRM. Discussions focused on analyzing costs and benefits of reuse of controlled substances through recycling, and reclamation and cost of destruction for controlled substances that could not be reused, considering factors like refrigerant type, application, potential quantity, and regulations. The workshop also explored using both regulations and incentives to encourage recovery and reuse of refrigerants. Implementing "reverse supply chains" to facilitate the return of recovered refrigerants was another key topic. Additionally, the workshop examined Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, where producers are responsible for managing their products throughout their life cycle, including waste. Regional collaboration was seen as crucial for sharing best practices, lessons learned, and resources to enhance LRM programmes and overcome common challenges. This includes joint efforts in developing refrigerant inventories, adapting successful LRM models from other countries, and pooling resources for efficient implementation.
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The workshop included a site visit to a cement kiln factory that can destroy ODS and HFC. This provided participants with insights into the destruction of unwanted controlled substances. Participants learned destruction technology, modification of the facility and operational experiences to meet requirement of the Montreal Protocol regarding approved destruction technology.
In conclusion, the workshop highlighted challenges and identified initial action plans to establish suitable mechanism that suits country context to ensure sustainable operation of recovery, recycling, reclamation, and destruction of controlled substances. By promoting responsible management of ODS and HFCs, the workshop supported the goals of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment, contributing to the global effort to protect the ozone layer and mitigate climate change.
UNEP CAP team extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of the Philippines for their invaluable partnership in hosting this regional workshop. Their seamless coordination and generous hospitality have been instrumental in creating a productive and welcoming environment for all participants. The team also wishes to acknowledge the significant contributions of the esteemed resource persons and dedicated partners, whose expertise and commitment have greatly enriched the workshop proceedings.
This workshop is an integral part of the approved 2024 Work Programme under the Multilateral Fund, underscoring its significance in advancing the objectives of the Montreal Protocol.
For more information:
Mr. Pipat Poopeerasupong
Interim Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Island Countries
UNEP CAP, Asia and Pacific Office
Email: poopeerasupong@un.org
