Tuesday, 9 February 2021

MEDIA RELEASE

RAC technicians’ greatest repair job might just be on the ozone layer

While you won’t find refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) apprentices studying about repair jobs for oxygen molecules in the stratosphere, the skilled work of licensed technicians to control the use of refrigerants is having a very real impact on the ozone layer and the environment.

A recently released United Nations report has found that the Montreal Protocol is not only healing the ozone layer, it is also helping to reduce global warming. The Montreal Protocol is an international environmental agreement between 197 countries and was the catalyst for the Australian Government initiating the ARCTick licence scheme back in 2005. The scheme controls the purchase and use of refrigerants which are ozone depleting and synthetic greenhouse gases by ensuring only qualified, equipped and professional people can work on systems containing these gases. Ozone depleting substances are powerful greenhouse gases and the report states that “their continued control will avoid approximately 25% of the global warming that was projected to occur by 2050.”

Even back in 2017 the work of both the stationary RAC and automotive air conditioning sectors was being recognised as a contributing factor to the health of the ozone layer. The Australian Government’s ‘State of the Environment Report’ released in March 2017 highlighted continued improvements in the ozone layer above the Antarctic as a result of controls on the use of ozone depleting substances.

The work of ARC-licensed businesses and technicians has also contributed to 24.37 Megatonnes of CO2-e direct emissions reductions. The ARCTick licence scheme will continue to provide significant direct and indirect emissions savings over the next two decades, with further direct emissions reductions estimated at 58.02 Mt CO2 projected to 2030.*

Whatever way you slice it, licensed technicians are making a positive difference to the environment and the world, and that’s something about which we can all be very proud.

To read the United Nations report visit https://ozone.unep.org/science/assessment/eeap and download report “Environmental Effects Assessment Panel: Summary update 2020 for policymakers”

*Expert Group, Assessment of environmental impacts from the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989, April 2015.

For further information, please contact Alex Doran, General Manager, Communications and Business Development at the ARC on 03 9843 1601 or email adoran@arctick.org