THE protection of the ozone layer has been a priority for many years and efforts have been driven by phasing out methyl bromide, hydro chlorofluorocarbons and chlorofluorocarbons.
However, these substances that have been almost phased out in developed nations are still in use in developing countries.
Most developing countries continue to adopt outdated technologies that have these substances from developed countries.
Developing countries have become dumping grounds for old technologies carrying substances that deplete the ozone layer.
With the developed countries not availing funds into the Multi-Lateral Fund for developing countries to acquire state-of-the-art equipment, poor nations have been forced to adopt these harmful technologies.
To make matters worse the technologies do not come with systems for proper disposal after their lifespan.
For instance, the Hwange Power Station is at the moment said to be currently sitting on four tonnes of halons, which must be sent to South Africa for destruction because Zimbabwe does not have a destruction facility.
The halons are part of the ozone depleting substances which have been phased out the world over.
The country has many cylinders that contain substances that have been phased and has no means to dispose them and developed countries are not willing to assist.
Subsequently, these cylinders, which cannot be used for anything else are stuck in developing countries becoming a waste management burden.
According to a Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate official with the ozone department, George Chaumba, there is need for developing countries like Zimbabwe to establish destruction facilities.
He disclosed that a mobile destruction facility costs over US$50 000 and that it will be cheaper compared to relying on countries such as South Africa for the destruction service.
The ozone is a layer that protects life on earth from direct rays, guarding against among other things, skin cancers and eye cataracts.
Once ozone depleting substances are released into the atmosphere, they are broken down by intense Ultra Violet Radiation from the sun to initiate a series of chemical reactions that destroy ozone molecules.
In order to raise and promote awareness on the preservation of the ozone layer, countries which are party to the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, Zimbabwe included, celebrate World Ozone Day which falls on September 16.
Most, if not all of these countries, have managed to eliminate over 98 percent of the quantities of the ozone depleting substances that were in use before the protocol came to effect.
Zimbabwe, for instance, has successfully phased out the use of methyl bromide in agriculture and grain storage from a baseline level of 557 ODP tonnes to zero, while chlorofluorocarbons have also been eliminated from a baseline of 451 tonnes to zero again. According to Tobacco Research Board’s Goodsome Khuddu, the float tray technology has effectively been serving its purpose of phasing out the use of methyl bromide.
“The float tray technology has effectively served its purpose and helped boost Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry with over 210 million kilogrammes of tobacco grown this year thanks to the small-scale farmers,” Khuddu said.
“Tobacco growing has increasingly become popular and tobacco farmers have greater appreciation of this ozone friendly technology which is not only cost effective but also convenient.”
A tobacco farmer from Guruve, Isdore Guvamombe said the latest technology has less labour, unlike the previous methyl bromide technology.
“It is undisputable how the float tray system has made life easier for tobacco farmers, who can now simply concentrate on the tobacco seedlings even while far away from their fields,” he said.
“This is unlike the previous method in which farmers used methyl bromide where they had to dig trenches, wear excessive protective clothing and seedling survival was not certain.”
The use of float trays that started in 2009 with the assistance of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation UNIDO in 2009, has increased with over 1,7 million trays disbursed and 475 072 trays manufactured by Kutsaga Research Station.
Statutory Instrument 7 of 2011 (Environmental Management Prohibition and Control of Ozone Depleting Substances Dependent Equipment) has seen imports of technologies with ozone depleting substances declining.
An official with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Lameck Tatswareyi said the availability of refrigerant identifying equipment has enabled them to guard against the importation of ozone depleting substances.
“With the help of refrigeration identifiers we have closely monitored and made sure that the importation of ozone depleting substances is close to nothing,” he said.
“However, there is need for developed countries to avail these technologies at reasonable prices while the community helps in policing.”
A refrigeration identifier costs at least US$3 000 and many are required to effectively carry out tests at the country’s entry points.
African countries have continued to be markets for outdated technologies a blight on developed nations that supply them yet are the so-called ‘champions’ of the green revolution.
Hence there is need for governments to interrogate the benefits of these outdated technologies.