By Gift Bhowa

ZIMBABWEANS have been warned against smuggling banned ozone depleting substances (ODS) which are a threat to the stratospheric ozone layer.
Speaking at the commemorations of the World Ozone Day on September 13 at his Kaguvi Building offices, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Perence Shiri said in the past eight years, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has confiscated more than 350 illegal cylinders containing banned ozone depleting substances.
“Since January 2010, over 350 cylinders of contaminated and mislabelled refrigerants have been seized at our ports (of entry)” said Minister Shiri.
Government, under Statutory Instrument 7 of 2011, the Environmental Management (Prohibition and Control of Ozone Depleting Substances and Equipment) Regulation of 2011 banned imports of phased out substances.
Minister Shiri said Government would equip departments like ZIMRA with the necessary equipment such as latest refrigerant detectors which are used to identify ODS.
“Zimbabwe is no exception to these smuggling schemes, my ministry is working with ZIMRA to train Customs officers and equip them with tools and skills to combat illegal trade of ODS,” Min Shiri said.
“A total of 16 refrigerant identifiers were distributed to all major ports of entry to help in the detection of mislabelled or contaminated refrigerants.”
The ozone layer is a layer of ozone particles dispersed between 11.80 and 18.64 miles (19 and 30 km) altitude in the stratosphere.
The stratospheric layer acts as a shield protecting life on earth from dangerous ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
The ozone layer, therefore, prevents and limits harmful solar radiation from reaching the earth’s surface by allowing sufficient (UV) doses needed for the sustenance of life for human beings, plants and animals.
The depletion of this so-called blanket exposes the earth to direct UV which may cause skin cancers, suppression of the immune system, eye cataracts and sunburn, among other challenges.
The causes of the depletion of the ozone layer are manmade chemicals like the hydrochlorofluorocarbons and methyl bromide (also known as bromomethane), among other gases.
Zimbabwe has also made strides in the reduction of emission of these gases.
In Zimbabwe, the tobacco industry used to emit methyl bromide, a highly toxic fumigant used to control an insect called ‘cigarette beetle.’
It has no warning properties, such as smell, taste or colour.  When heated to decomposition, methyl bromide emits highly toxic fumes of bromides.
According to the Tobacco Research Board, the industry is eliminating the use of methyl bromide as well as phasing it out of tobacco seedling production in Zimbabwe.  
Zimbabwe has managed to completely phase out chlorofluorocarbons consumption from a baseline level of 450 metric tonnes and now has reduced hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HFC) consumption by 35 percent from a baseline level of 340 metric tonnes.
These reductions at national level have contributed to the global efforts to preserve the ozone layer and the climate system.
In addition, Minister Shiri said Government is in the process of crafting and strengthening new regulations that will ban phased out substances.
“The new regulations will ban imports of phased out substances and make it mandatory for all refrigeration technicians and users of refrigerants to be trained and certified in the safe use and handling of ODS alternatives,” said Min Shiri.
He said Government is reviewing the ODS regulations in line with the latest developments under the Montreal Protocol to incorporate the control of trade in HFC.
Zimbabwe is signatory to the Montreal Protocol, which is a global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ODS.