EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
The DEA proposed removing HFCs as
an agenda point until after the 29th
Meeting of the Parties (MOP) in Canada
in November 2017, as further clarity is
expected at this meeting. As of yet, no
phase-down schedule has been drafted
nor has South Africa’s HFC baseline
been determined. For both reasons,
phase down in South Africa could not
be gazetted.
Currently, according to the Kigali
Amendment, South Africa’s HFC phase
down would start in 2024. An earlier start
would require additional funding.
However, there was a request from
the floor to keep HFCs on the agenda, as
phase down would primarily be driven by
industry according to supply and demand
for new technology.
In terms of South Africa’s ratification
of the Kigali Amendment, it was
rumoured that we are still waiting to
table it at cabinet.
The DEA advised that “We are taking
a precautionary ap proach as a country
at present.”
One of the delays is the fact that
South Africa has yet to determine its HFC
baseline. This has been made particularly
challenging due to the lack of unique
custom tariff headings for the many HFCs
being imported.
The matter of refining tariff codes is
being dealt with by the South African
Revenue Services (SARS), but at a slow
pace, as they claim to have limited
resources in terms of personnel. There
are other challenges in terms of tariff
codes, since (for example) hydrocarbons
such as R290 and R600a are monitored
through the Department of Energy and
not the DEA like with other refrigerants,
as the mentioned hydrocarbons are
presently classified as a ‘fuel’.
There was a suggestion that an import
permit be mandatory for all refrigerants
and that the granting of a permit be
subject to the importer declaring the
amounts imported prior to the permit
being granted. This would be a much more
accurate means to determine the quantity
of HCFCs (and HFCs) coming into the
country than the DEA sponsored ‘surveys’.
Although SARS was not represented,
they did send a response to the queries
raised by the stakeholders regarding the
proposed tariff regulations.
Some of the feedback, however, was
rather confusing and there was an urgent
request to review the final revised tariff
classifications before it is gazetted.
According to SARS, they are not
yet looking at adding a separate tariff
heading for pre-charged HCFC systems in
this particular revision. It will be reviewed
in future.
ILLEGAL IMPORTS
Two years ago, UNIDO had sponsored
gas analysers and the training of custom
officials to detect illegal imports of
refrigerants or those with harmful impurities.
This was done in response to a
question posed by Michael Labacher of
A-Gas as to whether any illegal imports
had been detected by customs. The DEA
undertook to revert with exact detail if
any had occurred.
HCFC CONSUMPTION
The DEA once again gave feedback
on South Africa’s HCFC imports and
consumption up until August 2017.
Our baseline was set at 326 ODP
tonnes, with a required 25% reduction
by the end of 2017. This would mean
that we need to reduce our HCFC
consumption to below 245 ODP tonnes.
In actual fact, so far, from January
until August 2017, South Africa has only
used 111.5 ODP tonnes, leaving us
comfortably below the requirement and
at no risk of exceeding the target in the
remaining four months.
CHEMICALS SUMMIT AND
WORLD OZONE DAY
Because the DEA was focusing on the
Phakisa project, the proposed Chemicals
Summit was postponed until next year,
provisionally until March 2018. They hope
to hold it in the Free State but nothing has
been set up yet.
World Ozone Day was on 16 September
and the department had hoped to
combine this event with the proceedings
of the Chemical Summit. But as this event
had been postponed, there was no plans
for World Ozone Day. The DEA reported
that it was not doing an awareness
celebration this year.
PHAKISA
The primary objective of Phakisa is
to upskill the informal technicians so
that they can do a professional job.
Cabinet was pleased with the initiatives
presented by this particular sector, and
the DEA reported that it was proud of
the stakeholders who participated. Three
major activities relating to ODS have been
identified and more detail will be given
once finalised.
VOCATIONAL PILOT PROJECT
At a meeting held in May 2016 at Fire
and Security Techniques in Centurion,
the DEA and the Department of Higher
Education and Training (DHET) proposed
a pilot study to promote the vocational
technical training of HVAC&R technicians
at the Capricorn College in Limpopo. The
DEA reported that the pilot study was now
planned between January and March
2018 (before the end of its financial year).
Its main aim will be to raise awareness
and upskill students and lecturers in terms
of the HVAC&R sector. The department
wants to encourage students to pursue
HVAC&R as a career.
Currently, the challenge with many of
the technical and vocational education
training (TVET) colleges is that they have
the curriculum but not the equipment
to train HVAC&R apprentices. The pilot
is meant to tackle this challenge of the
practical education side to see what can
be done to improve the situation.
The next HCFC stakeholder meeting will
take place on 6 December 2017. CLA
COLD LINK AFRICA • November | December 2017
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