Seminar on alternatives for CTC

HUBLI: North Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (NKSSIA) and GTZ Proclima International, New Delhi, will conduct a seminar on selection and safe use of alternative solvents of CTC in industries on August 12 at 4.30 pm at NKSSIA Sabhagraha here.
The seminar will dwell on the alternatives of Carbon Tetrachloride or CTC, a popular solvent and cleaning agent which is currently being phased out because of its harmful impact on the ozone layer.More than 190 countries across the globe have agreed in the Montreal Protocol to phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer.
Government of India, as a signatory to the Montreal Protocol, has already initiated steps under a special project called National CTC Phase-out Plan, to reduce the supply of CTC. The Economic Times has been reduced by 85% from January 2005 and is expected to be completely removed from the market by the end of 2009.
It is imperative to find equally good and efficient alternatives within the framework of the Montreal Protocol. GTZ Proclima, mandated by the Governments of Germany and France is offering free technical assistance to industries to identify appropriate substitutes for CTC.
GTZ Proclima, having already done analysis of the industrial requirements, identification of suitable alternatives and evaluation of their cost and performance has started dissemination of required information to industries on suitable alternative solvents to replace CTC through seminars being organized across the country.
The gradual removal of CTC from the market will have implications on some industries who have over decades built confidence in this product. The seminar will help disseminate information to enable industries to take informed decisions to transit to safer alternatives from CTC.
GTZ Proclima senior technical consultant C J Mathew will speak on the topic. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Dharwad, senior environment officer K M Nagaraj will be presen