Ozone-depleting substance in abundance in RI: Official
Ozone-depleting substance in abundance in RI: Official
JAKARTA (JP): The country is home to a large amount of an
ozone-depleting substance which is even more harmful than the
more commonly known chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), an environment
official said Wednesday.
Deputy to the state minister of environment Aca Sugandhy said
almost 1,000 tons of halon were stored in the country.
He said halons were six times to 10 times more destructive to
the ozone layer than CFCs, a coolant commonly used in
refrigerators and air conditioners, and as a propellant in
aerosol sprays.
Despite information labels on consumer products, awareness of
the environmental benefits of using non-CFC products remains low
in the country.
Aca was unable to state the tolerable level of halon use, but
said there remained no alternative substance to its use in some
products.
"There is still no substitute, especially in aircraft and some
medical uses," Aca said.
Halons, such as halon 1302 (bromotrifluoromethane) and halon
1211 (bromochlorodifluoromethane), are commonly used as fire
extinguishing substances in aircraft engines, auxiliary power
units, cargo cabins and aircraft toilets.
Halons are also used as a propellant in medicated sprays for
people with asthma.
The immediate solution, Aca said, was the management of the
halon substance by a specially designated institution.
Aca was representing the ministry in a ceremony marking the
agreement between the ministry and PT Garuda Indonesia, which
appointed the company to manage the newly founded National Halon
Bank.
"PT Garuda is chosen because the company is the biggest user
of halons and has the most adequate facility," Aca told The
Jakarta Post of the company, which runs the national airline and
aircraft maintenance services.
The country continues to phase out ozone-depleting substances
in line with its 1992 ratification of the Montreal Protocol.
The protocol is an international agreement founded in 1987
that established rules on prohibition and special usages of
substances harmful to the ozone layer.
As the manager of the halon bank, Garuda will be responsible
for supplying halons and monitoring its usage among industries.
The World Bank has given the company a grant of US$484,000 to
support the operation.
Beside PT Garuda Indonesia, the state oil and gas company
Pertamina and state electricity company PT PLN are also
reportedly large users of halon.
The Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund, set up to help
countries phase out harmful substances, approved late last year
some $940 million for projects to phase out consumption of some
122,000 tons and production of 42,000 CFCs and halons in 177
developing nations. (08)