Illegal export prevented of almost 2,000 metric tons of ODS substances

China's Office for the Management of ODS Import and Export has managed to prevent about 1,984 metric tons of ozone depleting substances from being exported illegally, according to the country's top environmental authority. 

Liu Youbin, spokesman for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said the substances, commonly known as ODS, are included in 55 batches of export application the office has rejected. 

The office is based in the ministry, despite being jointly established by the environmental authority, the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Commerce. 

"China has kept its high-hand posture on ODS-related illegal activities," Liu said.

He said, while rolling out special law enforcement campaigns on ODS for three straight years since 2018, the ministry has enhanced supervision of companies that have the capability to output ODS.

The ministry has dispatched work groups to each company with a production process that generates CTC (Carbon Tetrachloride) as a byproduct to guide them in controlling the ODS. These enterprises have all installed online monitoring facilities as required, he said.

According to a guideline published in 2009 by the defunct Ministry of Environmental Protection, which was reshuffled into the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in 2018, all companies that generate CTC as byproduct in their production have had to have the substance destroyed or harmlessly disposed of starting Jan 1, 2010.

Liu also said China will enhance ODS monitoring.

The ministry is drafting a plan for ODS density monitoring and plans to build monitoring stations for ODS background concentration this year, he said.