The Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Division ensures compliance to environmental legislation and standards under the Environment Protection Act (EPA). The Division registers environmental complaints and attends to emergencies by taking appropriate actions as set out in the Environment Protection Act and through established protocols for addressing environmental complaints. The PPC also provides advice to industrialists and public on appropriate abatement measures and cleaner production techniques.
The Division works in close collaboration with Enforcing Agencies as per the Fourth Schedule of the environment Protection Act 2002 and the Police de l’Environnement to attend to environmental complaints. When enforcement and coordination in relataion to environmental complaints cut across different statutes, the Division addresses these complex cases through the Environment Liaison Officers Committee and the Environment Coordination Committee.
In 2008, industrial waste auditing was introduced through the Environment Protection (Industrial Waste Audit) Regulations 2008 to ensure that industries play an active role in monitoring and mitigating their environmental impacts. The Pollution Prevention and Control Division ensures the proper implementation of the Regulations, with a view to enable these scheduled industries to develop a culture of self-compliance.
The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development is the enforcing agency for air quality. In this regard, the Pollution Prevention and Control Division is implementing the Smoke Control Action Plan to control vehicular emissions in collaboration with the Police de l’Environnement.
In addition to its main duties, the PPC Division also coordinates and ensures the implementation of the obligations under the Montreal Protocol through the National Ozone Unit. The National Ozone Unit was created within the Department of Environment to manage and monitor the Phasing-Out of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are classified as annex A group I substances under the provisions of the Protocol.
The present tasks of the National Ozone Unit are as follows:
(i) Ensuring the implementation of the hydrochlorofluorocarbon Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) with GIZ Proklima(implementing agency) and other concerned Ministries/Department, through:
· Capacity building of relevant stakeholders including customs officers, academia and technicians of the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector;
· Sensitization of stakeholders including importers of refrigerants and equipment containing refrigerants, the media and the general public;
· Co-ordination with other ministries, departments and the private sector for project implementation;
· Act as facilitator between implementing agencies and beneficiaries;
(ii) Enforcement
Ensure import/export of ozone depleting substances including refrigerants and alternatives which are allowed by the Montreal Protocol through the processing of Clearances and liaisons with the Dangerous Chemical Control Board and the Customs Department.
Compile and report to the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol and Ozone Secretariat, on yearly basis, on ozone depleting substances imported, used and exported.
