"There are some developing countries, e.g. India and China...with a substantial domestic market...which are self reliant in the manufacture of both refrigerants and related hardware . The developing countries cannot afford double changes. They would prefer to assess the merits and demerits of the possible alternatives before making a final choice so as to continue to maintain their current technological independence...."*
Today, the chemical industry is aggressively marketing obsolete HCFC and
HFC technologies for use in developing countries, where refrigeration is a
high growth industry. Much of this marketing is done through the enormous
influence the chemical giants wield within the World Bank and the
Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol. The industry steers these
bodies, which are the financial implementing agencies entrusted to assist
developing countries phase-out CFCs, towards primarily providing funding
for HCFC and HFC based projects.
But HCFCs and HFCs are environmentally harmful. They can only be considered as "transitional substances", meaning that they will have to be replaced by environmentally more acceptable substances in the near future. This takes two steps to accomplish what could be done in one. It also doubles the costs. Double costs are incurred in retrofitting equipment, changing production lines, and training of personnel.
Developing countries can least afford the chemical industry's 'planned obsolescence' approach. Industries which continue to use HFCs and HCFCs may eventually find themselves at a competitive disadvantage as export markets dwindle for products containing these substances. These industries will then have to incur additional costs as they are compelled to switch to environmentally more acceptable alternatives.
Developing countries are far better off embracing technologies that are environmentally safer, less expensive and have a more promising future. Furthermore, it makes sense for developing countries to utilize naturally occurring substances, instead of depending on patented synthetic chemicals.
