14th September 2016 A two-day National Training about the Hydro-chloro-flouro-carbon (HCFC) Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) hosted by the Ministry of MEIDECC for customs officers and enforcement officials was officially opened yesterday morning by the CEO for the Ministry of Meteorology, Education, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) Mr. Paula Ma’u at the Customs headquarters.
The CEO of MEIDECC Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u said custom officers played a very critical role in limiting the use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) such as HCFC and burning of fossil fuels which contributed to the Depletion of the Ozone Layer.
“It has proven globally that the Ozone Layer is slowly depleting by our own actions which caused ultraviolet light from the sun to come directly at us and caused skin cancer, the effects of climate change, global warming and sea level rise. These are major problems caused by HCFC and we should limit it such as hosting this workshop as the customs and enforcement officers are our country’s front liners, who play very important role in the import and export control of ODS especially HCFC,” he said.
Mr. Ma’u also expressed Tonga’s gratitude to the valuable contribution of the Montreal Protocol to address the environmental problem such as Ozone Layer depletion.
“Article 4B of the Montreal Protocol requires the Parties to the Montreal Protocol including Tonga to establish and implement a licensing system for the import and export of new, used, recycled and reclaimed controlled substances.”
“With close collaboration among the Ministries of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation and Labor, Revenue and Customs and the National Ozone Unit of the Ministry of MEIDECC, Tonga has successfully institutionalized and enforced our national licensing system through the Ozone Layer Protection Act 2010.”
He added that it was everyone’s responsibility to reduce the usage of HCFC and ODS to protect ourselves, the planet and the future of Tonga.
In 2011 these 3 government ministries jointly organized two customs and enforcement officers’ training on a regular basis under HPMP. About 80 customs and enforcement officer were trained and equipped with inspection capacity to prevent unauthorized import and export of these harmful substances.
The Government of Tonga not only controls the import and export of HCFCs, but also HCFC-based equipment from January 1st, 2016.
The training serves as platform for the customs and enforcement officers to be updated on policy and regulation, emerging issues as well as availability and characteristics of alternatives to allow them to properly handle these substances especially in the storage and transportation.
Facilitator of the training and HPMP regional officer from the UNEP (United Nation Environment Programed) Mr Pipat Poopeerasupong said the workshop would provide opportunities for the participants to share the challenges, lessons learned and a way forward to address these in the enforcement of the licensing system.
HCFC gases were mainly found and used in Tonga in refrigerators and air conditioning substances.
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Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications