Social responsibility
The social responsibility of the project ensures benefits in three areas:
- social and economic sphere,
- gender inclusion,
- environment.
Below we show just a few examples of benefits the project provides for these areas.
Social and economic sphere
- Destruction of ODS with high global warming potential minimizes their emissions from ODS banks.
- Treatment of refrigerating equipment saves landfill space.
- Recycling of metals, plastics, glass of treated refrigerating equipment and promotion of modern environmentally safe and energy efficient refrigerants save energy and raw materials.
- Effective treatment of POP- and PCB-containing wastes in terms of economy and environment protection reduces both their release in the environment and harm to people health.
- Participation of environmental non-government organizations creates conditions for wider involvement of communities in the activities of the project.
- The participating countries gain access to the best available technologies for destruction of ODSs, POPs and PCBs, and the local equipment manufacturing sector using such technologies obtain support.
- At least 30 new work places are expected at recycling and ODS, POP, PCB destruction facilities in the participating countries.
Gender inclusion
- The project activities give consideration of the GEF and UNIDO gender equality recommendations based on UNIDO policy on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
- Since women and children are the most vulnerable to POP exposure, one of the project tasks is to involve women’s organizations in awareness raising campaigns on the health and environmental impacts of these chemicals
- Gender inclusion factors — such as the participants’ gender ratio of workshops and awareness programs — are one of the criteria for the project success and are evaluated measured at several stages of the project implementation (on commencement, during the implementation, and upon its completion).
Environment
- The project aims at establishment of a regional ODS- and POP-containing waste network.
- ODSs, POPs and PCBs are destroyed in an environmentally sound manner.
- Emissions of CFC-12, CFC-11 and HCFC-22 from end-of-life refrigerants and air conditioners reduce.
- Efficiency of plasma technology destruction for ODS and POP is a proven alternative to burning by reason of much lower emissions of CO2.
- Recyclable materials (metal, glass, plastic) are recovered and used thus saving natural resources.
- The data obtained from the project implementation may be used for other environmental projects in the region.