In a renewed effort to ensure the phasing out Hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by the year 2040 in line with Montreal Protocol agreement on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer to which Nigeria is a party, the Federal Ministry of Environment recently in Ikenne, Ogun State commissioned a Hydrocarbon plant to produce high grade Hydrocarbon refrigerants which are to be used in the Refrigerants services sectors.
Speaking at the commissioning, Minister of State for Environment, Mr. Ibrahim Usman Jibril averred that the commissioning of the plant will greatly mitigate the negative consequences on our ecological system and human health occasioned by the use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS).
He stated that the first stage implementation of the Hydro-chlorofluorocarbons Phase out Management Plan (HPMP) which commenced in 2011 is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
According to him “the hydrocarbon pilot project is one of the main components of the project and it is designed to demonstrate the feasibility of replacing the current use of HCFCs refrigerant in the Refrigeration and Air-conditioning (RAC) sector with the Hydrocarbon refrigerant based technology”.
The minister further said that the ministry will ensure that the stakeholders in the sector nationwide are properly trained in the use of this new technology.
Ibrahim Usman Jibril noted that economic development has largely been unsustainable because it has been supported by the use of hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals which unfortunately are very damaging to the ecosystem and human health. He therefore, maintained that with the commissioning of the plant there will be a remarkable economic development as the project has the potential for job creation; provision of foreign exchange and the building of local capacity to produce energy efficient low Global warming Potential (GWPs) gases amongst other benefits.
The minister used the occasion to call on the private sector to invest into the operation and marketing of the hydrocarbon refrigerants products stressing that the Government was considering harnessing the products of the Hydrocarbon plant (Butane) as a source of clean fuel for cooking as an alternative for firewood.
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