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Refrigeration and air conditioning technicians are being encouraged to participate in the National Hydrochlofluorocarbon (HCFC) survey when it gets under way from May 28 until July 6.

Consultant with Barbados’ Hydrochlofluorocarbon Phase-Out Management Plan (HPMP), Leslie Smith, said one of the challenges was getting the necessary data from service technicians, and the lack of record keeping by enterprises on refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.

Speaking during the first stakeholder consultation for the HPMP at Hilton Barbados recently, Mr. Smith said these were areas of great concern as they could affect the overall outcome of the project.

He added that while Barbados had a lot of equipment to be surveyed, the consultants were hoping to obtain a sample size of at least 60 per cent to represent the industry.

"We have six weeks to do the survey," he told stakeholders yesterday. He explained that the national surveys would seek to obtain consumption data for the period 2009 to 2011, and conduct inventory on refrigeration air conditioning equipment by sectors.

In addition, the national survey would also look at enterprises providing refrigeration air conditioning equipment and services and the sectors outside of that area which may be using HCFCs.

Mr. Smith added that the current legal framework and the availability of prices of the alternatives would also be examined and that a number of workshops would be held for technicians providing refrigeration air conditioning services.

He explained that local contractors would be used to conduct the surveys, and noted that questionnaires were already prepared and submitted to Government for approval. "Once approved, we will start in earnest," the Consultant said.

Mr. Smith urged those being targeted in the survey to cooperate with contractors, especially since Barbados stands alongside Haiti as the only two Caribbean countries still awaiting approval.

However, he stressed that there were serious constraints to having the project completed by its July 2012 deadline. "The first control measure is on January 1, 2013, but the project is up for approval in November. That means it must reach the committee by the start of August," Mr. Smith said.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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