Local industrial sector slashes use of environmentally destructive chemicals

HA NOI — The use of ozone-depleting substances has dropped by more than 40 per cent in Viet Nam’s cosmetics production and refrigeration industry since 1994.

In the near future, Viet Nam’s use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) will drop even further when the country moves to ban the import and application of ozone-depleting technologies.

Viet Nam officially attended the Vienna Convention on Ozone Layer Protection in 1985, and signed the 1987 Montreal Protocol on ODSes in 1994.

Since then, the country has committed to its National Programme on Ozone Layer Protection with help from regional and international organisations, and other parties to the convention and protocol.

Industrialised countries have provided Viet Nam with more than US$4 million in non-refundable aid so it can carry out 28 ODS-eradication projects.

These projects aim to help Viet Nam eradicate 232 tonnes of ODSes.

Since 1997, the National Programme on Ozone Layer Protection has granted annual Ozone Prizes to 28 units and five individuals to recognise their contributions to the eradication programme.

The Vietnamese Government has issued 36 legal documents to guide the implementation of the International Convention on Ozone Layer Protection. — VNS

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