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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Mar 1989

Vol. 388 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ozone Layer.

21.

asked the Minister for the Environment the measures which are in place to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbon compounds; if he has any proposals to strengthen existing regulations or legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The control of the production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons — CFCs — in the interests of protecting the ozone layer can best be carried out by multilateral rather than unilateral action. In recognition of this Ireland, in common with its EC partners, is a party to the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer. That Protocol, which came into force on 1 January 1989, introduced control measures for the five CFCs and three halons regarded as having the greatest ozone-depleting potential. In relation to CFCs, the controls require the stabilisation of consumption at 1986 levels from 1 July 1989, a reduction of 20 per cent from 1 July 1993 and a reduction of 50 per cent from 1 July 1998. Consumption of halons is to be stabilised at 1986 levels from 1 January 1992.

The Montreal Protocol is being implemented throughout the European Communities by means of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3322/88 of 14 October 1988. That regulation restricts the production of CFCs within the Community and the importation of CFCs from third countries.

While I believe that the Montreal Protocol was an important step in the process of saving the ozone layer, it is quite clear now that it does not go far enough. On that basis I proposed at the EC Environment Council on 2 March last the elimination of the production and consumption of CFCs as soon as possible and at the latest by the end of this century. My proposal was accepted by the other member states and is now official Community policy.

At the London Conference entitled "Saving the Ozone Layer", which took place from 5-7 March last, I repeated my call for a strengthening of the Montreal Protocol measures and I also urged those nations which have not yet signed the Montreal Protocol to do so as soon as possible. I also made the point at that conference that, while formal and legally binding international measures are important, much can be done by way of agreements with industry and through an increase in public information and awareness. In this way informed individuals can help to tackle this problem by exercising choice in the marketplace. The European Communities have now reached agreement with manufacturers to reduce CFC use in aerosols by 90 per cent by the end of 1990 and, following a suggestion I made earlier, agreement has also been reached with industry at European level to label cans which contain CFCs.

In Ireland the use of CFCs in filling aerosols has already been reduced to negligible proportions. I have invited industry representatives to begin discussions with my Department with a view to achieving as quickly as possible reductions in the consumption of CFCs for other purposes. I intend also to develop labelling arrangements which will assist consumers in choosing ozonefriendly products.

I am sorry for the length of the reply, but I was asked to give a report to the Dáil on two occasions.

I congratulate the Minister on expressing views publicly on this issue which coincide with the views I put to him in the Dáil on 7 February last. Let me put it to him that the objective at EC level of the elimination of the use and production of CFCs by the year 2000 is inadequate and we should be aiming at the complete elimination of the production, importation and manufacture of CFCs world wide by the end of 1990. A coherent programme should be put in place on a world wide basis, co-ordinated within the EC on a Community basis, for the disposal of CFCs in the context of old refrigeration units and other types of units in which CFCs are currently used to ensure their disposal does not result in further damage and depletion of the ozone layer.

Fundamentally, that is what I am trying to do. It is interesting to note there were 31 countries signatories to the Montreal Protocol and when I left the conference 19 extra countries had agreed to come in. It was successful from that point of view and very encouraging. What we have achieved in Brussels should not be minimised. The country has taken the initiative and a lead in this regard and a major involvement of Ireland in leading the way in matters of the ozone layer depletion being controlled is recognised. There were a number of other countries at the conference, such as China and India, which have difficulties; but there is an enormous concensus even among the large manufacturing countries now and those that have difficulties in reducing their use of the damaging CFCs and halons. It is now internationally recognised that this has to be attended to now and it will be pursued that way. The support of the House is of considerable benefit to me in making our case in Europe and at these conferences.

I would like to join with Deputy Shatter. We frequently criticise our ministerial colleagues but on this instance I formally congratulate the Minister on his achievement and I do so with all graciousness. Let me ask him when he proposes to introduce regulations requiring labelling now that the public awareness has been raised in relation to the damage CFCs do. When can the Irish consumer pick up an aerosol can in any supermarket or shop in this country and be told whether it is damaging to the ozone layer?

Quite a few products on the shelves now——

All of them.

——have that. I noticed in the displays at exhibitions at the conference that some of the major multinationals in the UK now have displays of it in special sections of their supermarkets and I intend to be involved with the multinationals and the big suppliers here to press this urgently.

At the end of the year?

Definitely we will have these meetings before that.

And the labelling by the end of the year?

Unanimously, across the board for all Europe on my proposal last year to the Council, it was agreed that we would have the labelling "user friendly" or "ozone friendly". There was a difficulty in that they were putting the labelling the other way round. I am trying to press them to it more positively. That was raised last week in Brussels. There is total commitment among the Twelve to achieve something worthwhile in that regard. Destruction is negligible now as far as we are concerned here, but we are still importing a sizeable amount of CFCs and halons for particular industries and we are to have negotiations next week with some of the major users here.

The Minister did not respond to another part of the problem, the continued manufacture and use of these products. Another matter is the disposal of existing products such as refrigeration units. Is any European policy being adopted as regards disposal techniques to ensure that ongoing damage is not done to the ozone layer? In the context of my earlier question will the Minister indicate what is being done at European level at this stage to bring the date forward? I suggest it is not good enough that some countries have now adhered to the Montreal Convention. We in this House on all sides recognise that does not go far enough. What are the prospects of a rapid phasing out by 1991 of the use of CFCs not just in aerosols but in refrigeration units and other forms?

I do not think it will be achieved by that date, but following on my intervention and getting it agreed that it will be done before the end of the century, Commissioner Carlow Ripa De Meana subsequently made the case that perhaps it could be achieved some years in advance of that. I am not sure it can be done that quickly for the reason the Deputy has mentioned, but if a better target can be achieved I will support it wholeheartedly. The Deputy rightly raised the question about the disposal of used refrigerators. Quite a good response has been achieved in America in that they are collected and disposed of and the harmful CFCs are withdrawn from them and they are sometimes re-used, but that was not given any really concerted attention at the last Brussels meeting. Perhaps it is a good point for me to take up on the next occasion.

Is that not something we should give attention to here?

Once it has been mentioned here and I know I have the support of the House I can pursue that matter at the next Council meeting.

The Minister has that support.

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