ShareCustoms block trade in over 1,300 tonnes of illegal refrigerant
The United Nation Environment Programme reports that illegal trade of over 1,300 tonnes of ozone-depleting gases has been prevented over the last 18 months.
The United Nation Environment Programme reports that illegal trade of over 1,300 tonnes of ozone-depleting gases has been prevented over the last 18 months.
During the period of September 2012 to April 2014, custom officers around the world reported 134 successful seizures of 7,370 pieces of equipment (appliances and compressors) and 9,523 refrigerant cylinders/containers containing over 467 tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals and mixtures.
The illegal trade included smuggling, falsification of documents and unlicensed imports of HCFCs and HFCs.
In addition, the denial of trade licenses also avoided 67 unwanted/illegal shipments of over 846 tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals and mixtures.
The global trade in HCFCs in bulk amounts is currently estimated to be around 1 million tons per year. There are no exact figures on the magnitude of illegal trade, but in the 1990s, the illegal trade in CFCs was estimated to be 20,000 tons per year, worth some USD 150-300 million and equivalent to over 12% of global CFC production.
Customs officers from countries including Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Cyprus, European Union, Georgia, Germany, India, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan have received Ozone Protection Awards at a special meeting in Sarajevo.
During the period of September 2012 to April 2014, custom officers around the world reported 134 successful seizures of 7,370 pieces of equipment (appliances and compressors) and 9,523 refrigerant cylinders/containers containing over 467 tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals and mixtures.
The illegal trade included smuggling, falsification of documents and unlicensed imports of HCFCs and HFCs.
In addition, the denial of trade licenses also avoided 67 unwanted/illegal shipments of over 846 tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals and mixtures.
The global trade in HCFCs in bulk amounts is currently estimated to be around 1 million tons per year. There are no exact figures on the magnitude of illegal trade, but in the 1990s, the illegal trade in CFCs was estimated to be 20,000 tons per year, worth some USD 150-300 million and equivalent to over 12% of global CFC production.
Customs officers from countries including Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Cyprus, European Union, Georgia, Germany, India, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan have received Ozone Protection Awards at a special meeting in Sarajevo.