The Montreal Protocol: keeping us, our food, and vaccines cool!

The United Nations (UN) has designated September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World Ozone Day.  This is to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer  in 1987. World Ozone Day advocates activities that create awareness on topics related to ozone depletion and climate change.

The Montreal Protocol is a global agreement to protect the Earth’s ozone layer by phasing out the chemicals that deplete it.  Such chemicals, called ozone depleting substances (ODS) are more commonly used as refrigerants in everyday appliances such as refrigerators and air-conditioners. Some are used in fire-extinguishers, mobile air-conditioning units and as agricultural fumigants against pests.  Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are the main ODS used today however, under the Montreal Protocol, countries have committed to eliminating their use by 2030.

In October 2016, The Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment was adopted, adding another group of refrigerants called hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs to the list of controlled substances. Although HFCs do not cause damage to the ozone layer, they contribute to the problem of global warming and climate change due to their ability to trap more heat in the atmosphere (or their high global warming potentials). If nations fully implement the Kigali Amendment, they could avoid up to 0.4 degrees Celsius of global warming by the end of the century.  This Amendment also provides an opportunity to improve energy efficiency in the cooling sector, adding to the climate benefit to be derived from the HFC phase-down.  Therefore, the Montreal Protocol not only protects the ozone layer but has also contributed to the fight against global warming and climate, while allowing for the sustainable expansion of the cold-chain in developing countries.

This year, World Ozone Day will focus on the theme “Montreal Protocol, keeping us, our food and vaccines cool! The theme raises awareness of an often overlooked sector- the refrigeration cold chain, which is absolutely essential for all countries and has a direct relationship on reducing food loss and food waste, protecting public health and supporting the economy.

The “cold chain” refers to the various stages that a refrigerated product passes through, either until it is removed by a customer in a retail environment or unloaded from a delivery vehicle a few metres from its destination. 

For consumers, the cold chain is often associated with transport, retail and household refrigerators. But refrigeration is also and widely used in the agri-food industry for the storage of raw materials and final products, as well as for food processing.  It estimated that each year, 33% of all food produced is lost or wasted which equates to a financial loss of about 940 billion US dollars and accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. 50% of temperature sensitive food is lost post-harvest primarily because of the lack of access to cold-chain logistics.  

The commitments of countries under the Kigali Amendment can help countries work together to use new, sustainable cold chain systems that are highly efficient, safe and use climate friendly refrigerants.

In addition to helping reduce food loss and food waste, the cold chain is also vital for the safe supply of vaccines and medicines as well as for healthcare applications.  During the start of the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, the world was made aware of the importance of refrigeration and, in particular, of the cold chain, for the organization of a global vaccination campaign against the virus. The use of very low storage temperatures for the first vaccines raised the public’s awareness about the importance of the cold chain for vaccine preservation and mobilized all those involved in temperature-controlled logistics.

On World Ozone Day 2021, let us reflect on the benefits of the cold-chain in our everyday lives.

Happy World Ozone Day from the Department of Sustainable Development!

For more information on the phase-out of ozone depleting substances in Saint Lucia, please contact the National Ozone Unit of the Department of Sustainable Development via telephone 468-5833/468-5804/468-5806 or email nousaintlucia@gmail.com