Dubai Customs organized a training seminar for the UAE Customs Authorities on the ozone-depleting substances monitoring and control, in cooperation with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and the Environment Federal Authority (EFA).

The seminar aimed at alerting Customs inspectors on the danger of some hazardous ozone-depleting gases.

The organization of the seminar shows Dubai Customs strong commitment towards its social responsibilities, in which the environmental standards constitute a major part.

The seminar also offered the chance for the Customs employee to get the appropriate technical know-how which is also an inherent of Dubai Customs' social responsibilities policy.

The seminar shed the light on the international laws that restrict the trading of ozone-exhausting gases, where countries are required to limit the quantities of those gases and abide to specific chemical characteristics. The UAE showed continuous commitment towards Montreal Protocol, which enforce the use of mechanisms to minimize and control the levels of ozone-depleting gases.

Ayman Al Talouni, the environmental expert from the UN compliance program, delivered a presentation on the proper way to control the global interchange of the ozone-depleting gases. During his presentation, Al Talouni stressed on the vital role played by Dubai Customs in limiting the increase of ozone-depleting gases, not only in the UAE but also in the wider region.



Al Talouni said that a hard mission lays on the shoulders of the Customs Departments in general to fight for the ozone layer, which is being depleted severely in the past few decades.
Customs inspectors should be able to detect ozone-depleting gases, and should be fully aware of the types, trade names and chemical structure of the hazardous gases, so that they prohibit their passage to the country.

Montreal Protocol defined deadlines for countries to eventually stop using those gases. UAE so far succeeded in achieving 50 per cent reduction, as per the Montreal Protocols regulations.

Dubai Customs play a key role in reaching the desired goals through its firm control of the sea, air and land ports.
Dubai Customs prevent regional illegal trade and smuggling of ozone-depleting gases, in addition to the monitoring of legal import/export transactions.

Ozone-exhausting gases are now used excessively in many products, such as air- conditioning systems, industrial sponge and isolators, fire distinguishers and asthma spray treatments.