The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is batting for the creation of policies that favor the use of “low carbon, energy efficient” cold chain systems in a bid to totally get rid of hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) use.

How ozone-depleting substances affect the atmosphere. (Photo from DW)

HCFC is a substance that worsens global warming by eating up the earth’s ozone layer.

The vehicle for such goal by the DENR is the Global Partnership for Improving the Food Cold Chain in the Philippines (GPI-FCCP)--a $27.5-million endeavor.

Through GPI-FCCP, the agency is pushing for refrigeration systems in the food industry that will no longer use ODS-HCFC. ODS stands for "ozone depleting substances." Stringent policies are important in providing a stable environment for investors in “green” cooling technologies, the DENR said.

Cold chain covers every produce that needs cooling from the “field to the fork"; this involves transport, storage, transformation, and packaging. "Policies will involve national standards for flammable refrigerants and revision of energy efficiency standards," the DENR said in a statement Sunday, June 6.

Refrigeration technologies have come out as top concern--it is because refrigerants extensively use HCFC that have been found to be ozone-depleting. Aside from HCFCs, ODS includes chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbontetrachloride, methy chloroform, hydrobromofluorocarbons, methyl bromide, and bromochloromethane.

Private sector engagement will be crucial in the Philippines’ effort to obtain knowledge transfer on the most innovative, climate friendly, and energy efficient refrigeration technologies, the DENR pointed out.

The ozone is the earth’s protective layer, absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light which in turn reduces human’s exposure to harmful UV radiation. Such radiation can lead to skin cancer and cataracts.

DENR said the cold chain project came about as part of the Philippines’ compliance to its commitment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol. The protocol is a global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ODS.

The global pact compels signatory countries to freeze consumption and production of the HCFCs. It says that developing countries should have ceased HCFC production by 2030.

Major implementers of the GPI-FCCP are the DENR and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNDO). A co-financier is Germany’s international cooperation agency GIZ (Gesselschaft fur Internationanale Zusammenarbeit).

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DENR moving toward 'green' cooling systems to protect ozone layer