The Flin Flon landfill has a compound for fridges, freezers, and air conditioners. It was built in 2007 for an Environment Council project to protect the ozone layer by providing for the removal of ozone depleting substances (OSDs) at the landfill. The program continues for a small fee.
What is the concern about ozone?
At ground level it is nasty air pollution that leads to health problems.
Fifteen kilometers up in the atmosphere it is the sun screen for the earth, filtering out harmful UV radiation from the sun.
The chemicals used for refrigeration called CFCs and HCFC’s seriously destroy the ozone layer. Sunshine releases the chlorine, which is the C in the names. One atom of chlorine destroys thousands of ozone atoms in the atmosphere. The ODS in the atmosphere today will damage ozone for another 80 years.
Life on earth needs the ozone protection from the sun’s radiation.
Less ozone causes more skin cancer, eye problems, premature aging for people and animals. It damages crops like wheat, rice and corn which are staples in people’s diets. It destroys plankton which is the food for the food we get from the oceans.
In 1987 most countries signed the Montreal Protocol which strictly regulates ODS. Anyone who works with it must be licensed. The amounts are documented carefully and tracked. CFC’s are being phased out.
One regulation requires that all appliances must have the refrigerant removed by a certified technician before going to landfill.
Our project provides the removal service at the landfill for a fee of $25.00 which can be paid at Flin Flon City Hall or the landfill gate.
The fridge goes to the metal pile for recycling.