Iran Makes Headway in Protecting Ozone Layer

As part of its commitments under Montreal Protocol on protecting the stratospheric ozone layer, Iran has managed to phase out around 9,800 tons of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) by upgrading and overhauling 1,378 manufacturing and service industries, Ebrahim Hajizadeh, director of National Ozone Layer Protection Plan, said on the occasion of International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on Sunday. 
“The release of ODSs have been controlled and reduced in 122 refrigerator manufacturing units as well as 66 assembling and 595 repair units, 454 vehicle air-conditioning repair shops and 47 sponge and spray producing factories,” the official said, IRNA reported.  
In its future plans, national workgroups aims to complete the bank of halons to enable collecting the existing halons for recycling and reuse, develop regional cooperation to control illegal practices involving the harmful materials and devise a project on disposal of ODS-containing waste, according to Hajizadeh.