CTC phase out mulled in Rajkot by 2010

Following a CTC (Carbon Tetra Chloride) phase out plan meeting held at Rajkot Engineering Association Auditorium by German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the industrial fraternity of the city has begun to educate entrepreneurs on using alternative solvents to CTC.

The plan envisages a ban on CTC completely by 2010.

CTC's usage as solvent is undertaken heavily by the industries mainly active in manufacture and process pertaining to cold forging, diamond polishing, electroplating, fire extinguishers, machinery and equipment, motor and contact cleaning, offset printing, oxygen and other gas bottlers, power station and power utilities, precision machining, refrigeration and air conditioning, steel plants, and yarn spinning.

Markus Wypior, project manager, Proklima International, said, "India has agreed, along with more than 185 countries, to phase out CTC from the market in compliance with the Montreal Protocol, vide which sharp supply reduction since January 2005 has been registered and CTC supplies will continue to decline until the phase out is completed by December 2009."

CTC is harmful to health and life, occupational exposure affects the central nervous system (CNS) causing dizziness, headache and vomiting.

According to Kshem Prasad, team leader & consultant, GTZ, "Our team is constantly working in this direction. With Gujarat having 83 such manufacturing clusters, we are approaching the organised manufacturing sector via such associations and trade bodies. We are also approaching individuals and helping them to switch to CTC alternatives."