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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has stressed the need for Nigeria to join the rest of the world in phasing out the consumption of hydro-chloro-fluoro-carbons (HCFCs).
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This was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the director-general of NIMET, Chief Anthony Anuforom, on the occasion of the 2011 Ozone Layer Day.
The theme of the Day ?was “Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFCs) phase-out: a Unique Opportunity.”
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“Since Nigeria is a party to the Montreal Protocol, we strongly believe that this is the only way to achieve the cardinal objectives of protecting the stratospheric ozone layer for which the convention and protocol are designed.
“There is need for public awareness programmes and information systems on ozone, and air quality issues in order to reduce the emission of pollutants that cause excess ozone production near earth’s surface,’’ the statement said.
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It said that it was important to avoid or minimise the use of vehicles with smoky exhausts that release unburnt and injurious hydrocarbons into the air.
The statement advised people to avoid the use of firewood for cooking, air fresheners, insecticide and perfumes that were not ozone friendly, and bush burning.
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It further said that the level of climate benefits that could be achieved was dependent on the global-warming potential of substitutes and the energy efficiency of alternative technologies used to replace HCFCs.
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The statement said this could be achieved by minimising bush burning and the use of firewood for cooking.
It said that the HCFC phase-out presented countries with a unique opportunity to select “cutting-edge technologies that eliminate ozone-depleting substances, while reducing national energy costs and maximising climate benefits”.