The importation of second hand air conditioners
and refrigerators will be prohibited shortly to prevent ozone depleting
substances entering the country because importing second hand air conditioners
and refrigerators in bulk has become a severe obstacle to attempts by Sri Lanka
to phase out ozone depleting substances in accordance with the Montreal
Protocol to which Sri Lanka is a signatory since 1989. Harmful gases such as Hydro Chloro Fluoro
Carbon (HCFC) in these equipment contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer
and Sri Lanka has targeted to phase out HCFC completely by 2030. The National
Ozone Unit (NOU) promotes and
encourages the use of electrical items containing ozone friendly gases and
chemicals.
As developed countries are gradually shifting to
environmental friendly modern technologies, these countries sell electrical
goods produced using old technologies that contain ozone depleting substances
at cheaper rates to developing countries. Certain local importers collect these
items discarded by these countries and bring them to Sri Lanka. These items
even though sold at cheaper rates in the market are outdated, not energy
efficient and consume more power resulting in the increase in household
electricity bills. Due to these reasons there is no long term benefit for the
consumers from these second hand electrical items, especially air conditioners
and refrigerators, adding that the wrong impression people have about these
items should be changed.
Import
restrictions and limitations for items that carry HCFC have been imposed in Sri
Lanka since the beginning of this year. The NOU is working to introduce a new green
labeling system shortly for refrigerators and air conditioners with the
coordination of Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) to cater to this purpose. Attention
has also been paid towards introducing a star rating system to indicate the
energy efficiency in them as presently done for the CFL bulbs. The NOU Director
also pointed out that since the technology to dispose ozone depleting
substances are not available in Sri Lanka, the discarded items should be sent
to the USA incurring additional costs, adding that the USA not only charges
money from the developing countries, but also gains carbon credit from this
move.
