By VANESSA C. ROLLE Guardian Staff Reporter
In an effort to raise awareness of the need for preserving the ozone layer, and to educate the public on its role, the Department of Environmental Health yesterday announced the celebration of Ozone Week.
The week will be celebrated under the theme Save Our Skies: There is a whole lot more to do for children,
Parliamentary Secretary Ron Pinder said studies have concluded that ozone depletion has led to various medical problems including increased cases of cataracts that lead to blindness, increased cases of skin cancer, suppression of the body's immune system, reduction in plant growth, decreased plankton production and degradation of plastics and paints.
"Presently, The Bahamas has no legislation. However, very soon proposed legislation will be brought to Parliament for passage to regulate and monitor ozone depleting substances in The Bahamas. There has been much efforts and work expended to ensure that the general public and particularly children benefit from the ozone education this week. We encourage all to pay keen attention and to have fun learning about the ozone and the ozone layer," he said.
Permanent Secretary Elma Garraway said that the draft legislation has already been in place and there will be public consultation and public education as it would have implications on the air conditioning industry and others.
"But the legislation has been done, the majority of the work has been done," she said.
Coral Miller, Ozone Officer in the Department of Environmental Health Services said, The Bahamas has to accelerate its speed in putting legislation on the books as it is a signatory of the Montreal Protocol, which is the international treaty signed in 1987 that governs the protection of the ozone layer.
The Bahamas has been a signatory of the Montreal Protocol since 1993.
The Montreal Protocol has approved the nation's schedule of Ozone Depleting Substances, which include chlorofluorocarbons (CFAs), halons, and related substances that release chlorine or bromine to the ozone layer of the atmosphere.
On the basis of increasing scientific knowledge about the effects of CFCs and
halons on the ozone layer, the original protocol has been amended several times. At meetings in London (1990), Copenhagen (1992), Vienna (1995), and Montreal (1997) amendments were adopted that were designed to speed up the phasing out of ozone-depleting substances; not all parties to the main protocol are parties to these amendments.
The Bahamas has a phase out date of 2010, however the freeze date which was in 1999 has already passed.
"The first control measure is in 2005, which means that The Bahamas would have to reduce the amount of ozone depleting substances that have been consumed on average between the years of 1995 - 1997 by 50 per cent," said Mrs. Miller.
By 2007, there should be an 85 per cent reduction she said.
"For many companies that have been environmentally conscious, you would find that they have been very self-regulated. But however, the Government has the responsibility of putting the legislation and any regulations in place. It's not to say that because we are behind that we're the only ones behind in getting that established. There are other countries who are following that same position." said Mrs. Miller.
"However, it only makes it more imperative is for the Bahamas to succeed and do well but it must move at an accelerated pace in order to make sure that it is successful in the long run," she said.
Carlton Wilkinson, Co- Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Montreal Protocol said that at present, the industries involved are self regulated and self-compliant although there are laws regulating this move internationally.
However, he said that there is some leniency to developing nations as opposed to the developed countries in terms of a proposed phase out deadline.
Giving and example, he said that fluorocarbon, once it enters the atmosphere, it can survive in the ozone layer for some 60 years, and while there, it does tremendous damage.
Referring to the hazardous chemicals that permeate the ozone layer, Mr. Wilkinson said "we are reducing the import of those things as well because we see the international effect, not just the local effect."
Caption:OZONE THREAT – Parliamentary Secretary Ron Pinder along with Coral Miller, Ozone Officer, Department of Environmental Health Services, and Carlton Wilkinson, Co- Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Montreal Protocol took at alternatives to ozone depleting products at a press conference held at the Ministry of Health yesterday. Staff Photo by Donald Knowles
OZONE THREAT – Parliamentary Secretary Ron Pinder along with Coral Miller, Ozone Officer, Department of Environmental Health Services, and Carlton Wilkinson, Co- Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Montreal Protocol took at alternatives to ozone depleting products at a press conference held at the Ministry of Health yesterday.
Posted Monday 16 September, 2003
