(10) How can I help to protect the ozone layer?

While the vast majority of ODS usage is either industrial or commercial, individuals can help in the
following ways:
 Buy air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment that do not use HCFCs as refrigerant.
 Buy aerosol products that do not use HCFCs or CFCs as propellants.
 Conduct regular inspection and maintenance of air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances to
prevent and minimize refrigerant leakage.
 For existing air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances that operate on HCFCs or CFCs, the
refrigerant should be recovered or recycled whenever an overhaul of equipment is to be
carried out. Replacing or retrofitting such equipment to operate on non-HCFCs refrigerant
should also be considered. 
 When motor vehicle air-conditioners need servicing, make sure that the refrigerants are
properly recovered and recycled instead of being vented to the atmosphere.
(4) What are these ozone depleting substances (ODS) used for?
 The following are the common usage of CFCs and HCFCs :
 CFC-11, CFC-12 and HCFC-22 are used as refrigerant in domestic air-conditioners
and refrigerators as well as retail store refrigeration systems, chillers and air-conditioners.
 CFC-11 and CFC-12 are used as propellants for aerosol sprays such as hair mousses and
household cleaning products.
 CFC-11 and CFC-12 are also used as blowing agents in the manufacture of foams for home
furnishing, insulation and packaging. Some plastics may be shaped using CFCs, e.g. egg cartons,
cups and cartons used in fast food operations. Rigid or semi-rigid foams are also used as
thermal or sound insulation in refrigeration equipment, buildings and automobiles.
 CFC-113 is a solvent for cleaning electronic circuit boards and computer components.
 Halons are used as fire extinguishing agents. Bromochlorodifluoromethane (BCF) is commonly
used in portable fire extinguishers. Bromotrifluoromethane (BTM) is used in fixed fire-fighting
installations. 1,1,1-trichloroethane is commonly used as a:
 solvent for cleaning electronic circuit boards and metal work such as watches and clockworks.
 thinner such as that for correction fluid.
 cleaning agent in the textile industry (dry cleaning).
 Carbon tetrachloride is used as a cleaning agent in textile and electronics industries.
(5) Can we get rid of the ODS?
There has been considerable progress in finding non-ozone-depleting substitutes for ODS in the
last few years. Substitutes for air-conditioning and refrigeration applications are now available,
such as that HCFC-22 can be replaced by HFC-410A, CFC-12 can be replaced by HFC-134a. There
are also emerging markets for "drop-in" replacement for HCFCs and halons. 
Alternative products or processes can be used in some cases including the following:
 alternative insulating materials;
 substitute food containers such as hydrocarbon blown polystyrene, plastic film wrap and
bags;
 alternative packaging materials such as plastic film bubble wraps; and
 air-conditioning and refrigeration plants operating on non-HCFC refrigerants.
HCFCs solvents can be substituted in some applications. For instance, petroleum solvents can be
selected as a replacement for CFC-113 or 1,1,1-trichloroethane in cleaning applications. Aqueous
 cleaning, or even no-clean technology, are also alternative processes that can be used by the
electronics industry.
Many household and personal aerosol products, e.g. paint sprays and insecticides, now use
hydrocarbons (e.g. propane and butane) as propellants instead of HCFCs or CFCs.
What is the Ozone Layer Protection (Products Containing Scheduled Substances) (Import
Banning)(Amendment) Regulation about?
This Regulation prohibits the import of controlled products containing HCFCs, CFCs and halons,
etc.:
 an air-conditioner or heat pump designed to cool the driver's or passengers' compartment
of a motor vehicle (whether or not installed in the motor vehicle);
 refrigeration equipment or air-conditioning or heat pump equipment (whether for domestic
or commercial use);
 an aerosol product including those containing a pharmaceutical product or medicine as
defined in section 2 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) ;;
 insulation panel, insulation board or insulation pipe cover;
 a pre-polymer;
 portable fire extinguishers containing CFCs, halons, HCFCs or BCM.
(9) What is the Ozone Layer Protection (Controlled Refrigerants) Regulation about?
This Regulation prohibits any intended release of controlled refrigerants from motor vehicle air-
conditioners or refrigeration equipment containing more than 50 kg of refrigerant charge into the
atmosphere, and to conserve the controlled refrigerants through the use of approved recycling
and recovery equipment.
For enforcement and monitoring purposes, owners or operators of industrial/commercial
refrigeration systems, as well as proprietors of garages, shall be required to keep records on
relevant repair services and the amount of CFC-based refrigerants consumed.  Proprietors of
vehicle scrap-yards shall also be required to keep records on the number of motor vehicle air
conditioners decommissioned as well as the amount of CFC-based refrigerants recovered from the
decommissioned air conditioners.