Control of ozone-depleting substances enters into force in Cuba

 HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 21 (ACN) A harmonized system of tariff codes for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) entered into force in Cuba, announced PhD Nelson Espinosa Pena, head of the Ozone Technical Office (OTOZ).

The initiative includes hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), organic compounds used in air conditioners and other devices, and alternatives, Espinosa Pena told the Cuban News Agency, at the first face-to-face meeting of specialists from his institution since the time of the pandemic.

The meeting began last Tuesday and concluded on Thursday at the Los Cactus Hotel in Varadero, where the head of the center added that the coordination procedure involves the National Statistics and Information Office, the Ministry of Finance and Prices and the General Customs of the Republic, in order to comply with the Kigali Amendment.

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, in Canada, dates from January 1, 2019 to establish that over the next 30 years the projected production and consumption of HFCs be reduced by more than 80%.

Nationally, on January 1, 2020, its control began and on the same date in 2024, its reduction begins, in accordance with the country program's gradual implementation.

The agenda of the meeting included a briefing on the results in 2022-2023 of the OTOZ management and the presentation of awards to outstanding companies for the elimination of ODS, especially in human health.