when the importation of second hand refrigerators, air conditioners and coolers into the country was outlawed, many thought they were being pushed out of business maliciously. 

Those who embraced the new guidelines by the environment authority and trade ministry initially faced many challenges, according to dealers.

"We were required to install new compressors, gauges and gases in imported refrigerators to replace the old ozone-depleting gases in the equipment to make them friendlier to the environment,” says Bazil Serikoko, a Samsung refrigeration products dealer.

Although this change demanded new efforts from business people, the end users are happy about the benefits they present, Serikoko, who is also a refrigeration and air-conditioning technician, explains.

"After replacing the old gauges, the refrigerator or cooler consumes less energy, which helps one save on power bills,” he says. He adds that it also uses minimal amounts of the refrigerant compared to the old equipment.

The directive from Rwanda Environment Management Authority (Rema) was informed by the Montreal Protocol on the protection of the ozone layer that Rwanda signed in 2003. This was followed by a Ministerial Order regulating the importation and exportation of ozone-depleting substances the following year.

The order targeted refrigerant gases, commonly known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that destroy the ozone layer, reducing its ability to shield the earth against harsh sun rays.

Thereafter, the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) and Rema issued more guidelines and conducted several campaigns to promote a green economy.

With the ban earlier prioritising phasing out the most harmful refrigerant gases first, eventually all harmful CFCs would be disregarded for use as refrigerants in home appliances, according to Rema officials.

According to Juliet Kabeera, the ozone focal person at Rema, the plan was to reduce the usage of the refrigerant R22 by 30 per cent by 2015.

This means that importers must ensure equipment brought into the country meet sstandards and pose no danger to the environment.

Rema officials say the target is to get rid of all equipment that use R22 gases. Currently, the importation of refrigerant CFCs such as R11, R12, R22, is illegal, according to RSB.

"They are a threat to the environment and we recommend usage of only environmentally-safe refrigerants,” says Olivier Rukundo, the head of the import inspection section at RSB.

Rukundo says refrigerants with a lesser effect on the ozone layer, as well as the environment include R134A, R600 and R410.

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