KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has been given the highest recognition of an "A+" for its efforts to meet the implementation of the Montreal Protocol on reducing ozone depleting substances.

According to him, the recognition was supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), panel member, Niloy Banarjee who was impressed with the success of DOE in successfully winning over small medium industries to change their technology to ozone friendly substances.

"Apart from that, more than 16,000 technicians were trained in refrigerant servicing in the country to ensure maintenance of air-conditioners and refrigeration systems are according to ozone friendly practices.

"The initiative was achieved by encouraging energy efficiency in the refrigeration sector which also contributed to the qualify of life, food assurance and vaccine storage in a good and safe condition," he said in a DOE statement yesterday.

The Montreal Protocol is an international agreement aimed at regulating the production and use of ozone depleting substances (ODSs) such as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Halons, Carbon Tetrachloride (CTC), Methyl Chloroform (111 TCA), Methyl Bromide (MBr), Hydrochlorofluorocarbons ( HCFCs), Hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBrFCs) and Bromochloromethane.

-- BERNAMA