Refrigeration technicians who fail to obtain required certification will be prosecuted – EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned appliance repair technicians who fail to acquire certification for working on refrigerators that they will be prohibited from practicing.

The Director in charge of Ozone Layer and Climate Change, Joseph Amankwa Baffoe, noted that lack of proper training could lead technicians to emit harmful gases like Chlorofluorocarbon into the atmosphere, significantly contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer.

He spoke on the sidelines after engaging with students in the Eastern Region, emphasizing the importance of education in environmental stewardship.

“We want the school children to understand what ozone layer is, what causes it to deplete and the consequences thereof and our collective responsibility to ensure that we do not get overwhelmed by the challenge, ” Mr Baffoe said.

The engagement with support from the United Nations Development Programme aims to raise sustainable awareness about the causes of ozone layer depletion and its dire consequences.

“Every year, September 16 is World Ozone day, this year our focus is on students in second cycle schools, we want them to understand and inform others and keep as they grow up. They will grow up to meet the problem and must be well informed.” He added.

Mr Baffoe stressed the need for students to be part of the solution from an early stage, encouraging proactive involvement in addressing environmental challenges.

He warned that technicians who fail to enroll in the EPA’s free training program to obtain refrigeration technician certification will not be allowed to work in the field.

“In Ghana, most of our emissions come from refrigerators and air conditioners, that is why we want those who repair it must take advantage of our training and acquire the refrigeration technician certification. This certificate is a licence that you have the skills to work. Many of them lack such skills now. If we catch you working without the certification, the laws empower us to give you a fine or arrest you,” he said.

Chlorofluorocarbon gases emitted from refrigerators and air conditioners contribute significantly to the depletion of the ozone layer.

The impact of this is severe, as it increases our exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can have serious health implications.

Ghana is a signatory to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty aimed at phasing out substances that deplete the ozone layer, reflecting the country’s commitment to global environmental efforts.