DENR, BOC raid chemical warehouse

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) officers and Bureau of Customs (BOC) agents, raided yesterday the warehouse of a chemicals company in Parañaque City, seizing illegally imported substances.

Environment Secretary Heherson Alvarez and BOC Commissioner Antonio Bernardo led operatives to the All Transport Network warehouse and confiscated 30,000 kilos of Genetron 12, or chlorofluorocarbon-12 (CFC), worth P2.6 million.

The CFCs, which are ozone depleting substances (ODS), are used mainly as cooling agents in refrigerators and air conditioners. It is now being phased out globally and eventually completely be banned by the year 2010.

The warehouse, located at West Service Road, South Superhighway, is allegedly being used by EAC Chemicals Phils. Inc. to store the substances.

"The administration is doing this to emphasize the dangers of ODS, to inform the public of the need to protect the ozone layer, and to warn importers on the gravity of the crime that they have done against humanity and life on earth," Alvarez said. – Matthew Estabillo