'Customs play key role in controlling ODS traffic'

Customs agencies and other enforcement bodies play an essential role in the effective monitoring and control of ozone depleting substances (ODS) and therefore must be made familiar with its regulatory mechanism, said R Venkatraman, additional director-general of the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN).

Delivering the inaugural address at a national seminar on 'Monitoring and control of ozone depleting substances' organised by NACEN here on Tuesday, he said, "Since monitoring and control of ODS traffic has become inevitable to prevent illegal trade as also to effectively implement and enforce a given regulatory regime, customs agencies must be made familiar with any legislative and regulatory mechanism that require their attention."

Stating that while developed countries had already phased out most of the ODS, he said developing countries were still using them mostly in the refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) sector.

"According to the phase out schedules agreed upon by the parties of the Montreal Protocol, developing countries had to freeze their production and consumption of the main ODS, chlorofluorocarbon, starting from July 1, 1999. The next step was 50 per cent reduction of production and consumption of those chemicals starting from January 1, 2005. The phase out schedules for other ODS such as halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl, chloroform and methyl bromide have already begun," he said.

Venkatraman said developing countries have started phasing out ODS in line with the Montreal Protocol.

"However, compliance with the ODS phase out schedules set out in the Montreal Protocol is a great challenge to the developing countries," he added.