Luanda,  – The implementation environmental preservation methods is the key element for the protection of the ozone layer, said Tuesday here an expert with the Ministry of  Urbanisation and Environment, António Matias.

António Matias said this whilst addressing a workshop designed for students of Luanda's Medium Industrial Institute (IMIL), under the celebrations of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, September 16.

To the lecturer, the preservation of the ozone layer depends on the recruitment of customs staff with view to identify and control substances that debilitate it and on the sensitising of the population.

The official added that to contribute to preservation of the ozone layer in Angola, the Urbanisation and Environment Ministry, through the national unit, has set up six laboratories in Luanda aimed at applying new freezing and conditioning techniques.

According to António Matias, the damaging products include nitric oxides and noxious gases expelled exhaust pipes of vehicles and carbon dioxide and monoxide released by the burning of coal and oil.

The problem started being known in the early 1980s, and in 1987 the Montreal Protocol was underwritten as the first tool designed to manage activities for the preservation of the ozone layer.

Angola ratified the protocol on 18 June 1998.