November 10, 2004
Ministry of the Environment (MoE) of Japan co-organized a Workshop on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) Recovery and Disposal in Asia and the Pacific, in Siem Reap, Cambodia on November 6, 2004, jointly with the Cambodian Government and the UNEP Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP). It is part of an effort by the MoE to enhance regional effort to identify an economically feasible regional mechanism/option for ODS disposal. The workshop was held back-to-back with the UNEP Regional Network Meeting of South Asia Region (SA) and South-East Asia and the Pacific Region (SEAP). Some 40 officials from the national ozone units and experts from 22 countries in SA and SEAP regions, Australia, Japan, Sweden, UNEP and UNIDO participated in the Workshop.
Participants in the workshop exchanged information on the current policies and practices regarding ODS recovery and disposal in the region and discussed relevant policy options for management of waste ODS to be explored in the future in Asian region.
It was emphasized that a comprehensive perspective in the discussion of waste ODS management including but not limited to the option of destruction is needed and the establishment of legislative instruments and the involvement of the industry are essential factors. It was pointed out that information, whether quantitative or qualitative, on how ODS was actually disposed of in SA and SEAP regions was not available and more technical and cost-related information on facilities for reclamation or destruction of ODS need to be provided. Various options were suggested for consideration during the discussion, mainly from an economic viewpoint, including the possibility of utilizing existing facilities such as solid waste incinerators and cement kilns and of exporting ODS to countries with ODS destruction facilities, as compared to the construction of new destruction facilities.
MoE continues to have the dialogue with Article 5 countries* in the region, countries and organizations concerned on this issue and plans to take the lead in exploring practicable options of waste ODS management.
* "Article 5 countries" are the developing parties operating under Article 5 of the Montreal Protocol whose annual per capita consumption of ODS is less than 0.3 kg.