Tanaka Mahanya
Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, has called on the public to opt for natural solutions for food preservation that do not require cold chain supply systems as a way to adopt climate-friendly alternatives.
In a statement to mark World Ozone Day on Sunday, Minister Ndlovu said that the Government has reviewed old regulations and put in place new ones towards controlling the use of hydrofluorocarbons, gases used for cooling and refrigerating, as well as ozone-depleting substances.
The theme of this year’s World Ozone Day is “Montreal Protocol: fixing the Ozone Layer and reducing climate change”.
“While the regulations control the import and use of substances that deplete the ozone layer and cause global warming, they facilitate local industries to operate in a sustainable manner.
“The regulations enable the local industry to be competitive while meeting international standards by adopting climate friendly alternatives that are now readily available,” Minister Ndlovu said.
He said many of these Ozone-depleting substances are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change, hence this year’s theme for World Ozone Day commemorations.