The government has announced that, as of January 2025, it will ban the import of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment that uses R22 gas, a substance harmful to the ozone layer and public health. The decision is part of a series of measures in line with international commitments on environmental protection, according to Rádio Moçambique.
Leonardo Sulila, from the national climate change directorate, announced the measure during a technical training session in Boane, Maputo province, aimed at customs agents. The event covered, among other topics, the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer.
Sulila said that ‘the call sector is lagging behind, especially when it comes to converting technologies. This applies to the health sector as much as to other areas,’ stressing that they had already alerted their colleagues in the Ministry of Health to the urgent need to modernise the systems that use R22 gas.
However, according to Sulila, ‘in order to resolve these delays, we need to take immediate action. We are working with superior substances and alternatives to correct the problem.’ The priority, she said, is to replace R22 gas, which is still widely used, with more sustainable solutions.
He also guaranteed that ‘the equipment and the gas we use are already available at national level, ready to be implemented on a large scale’. This replacement, he said, will be fundamental to reducing the country’s environmental impact and improving the quality of life of its citizens.
