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SINGAPORE—The Earth’s ozone layer remains “fragile and
under threat” as illegal international trade in
ozone-depleting substances (ODS) increase dramatically in
the Asia-Pacific Region, a new study released Monday by
the UN Environment Program (Unep).
The study
found that while illegal trade in ODS has become a global
phenomenon, 55 percent of these goods in the Asia-Pacific
Region are unaccounted for because they are illegally
exported or they do not have any record of importation.
ODS, such
as those used in refrigeration and air-conditioning
systems, not only destroy the Earth’s protective shield
(the stratospheric ozone layer), but if released into the
atmosphere also contribute to climate change since they
are also powerful greenhouse gases.
“Clearly,
the problem is bigger than anyone thought before, and
action had to be taken,” said Rajedre Shende, chief of
Unep’s OzonAction.
Comparing
figures between countries trading in ozone-depleting
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) showed “a discrepancy between
what is being legally exported into a particular country
and the actual legal import figures of the country.”
Under the
Montreal Protocol for Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer, Asia-Pacific countries agreed to phase out
ozone-depleting chemicals like CFCs, halons, carbon
tetrachloride (CTC) by 2010, and methyl chloroform and
methyl bromide by 2015. Ozone-depleting substances are
still being used and will only be phased out in 2030.
An
analysis of CFC exports and imports between key importing
countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Indonesia, Vietnam and Iran, and major exporting
countries, such as
China,
India and Singapore, in 2004 found more than 4,000 tons of
CFCs are unaccounted for in the importing nations.
Nearly 51
percent of legal exports from China and 47 percent of
legal exports from
India into
Thailand,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Iran are
not found in the import statistics of the importing
countries, the study said. No import license was given.
The study
said the main routes used by smugglers are
India-China-Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia-Thailand,
Bangladesh-India, Nepal-India, China-Philippines,
China-Malaysia, China-Indonesia, Singapore-Malaysia and
Malaysia-Thailand.
Among the
reasons cited for illegal trade are the high costs of
substitutes, restricted legal supply through licensed
importers, the high demand to service existing
refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, the lax
control by the customs and the low penalties for smuggling
these illegal substances.
The
report, however, singled out Malaysia, the Philippines and
Indonesia for taking action to reduce suspicious shipments
and review the licensing system. | 
