On September 16, 2025, Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) joins the global community to celebrate World Ozone Day.
It’s an opportunity to recognise how science, safety, and collaboration have transformed global priorities into tangible action.
Forty years ago, the Vienna Convention responded to scientific evidence that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were damaging the ozone layer.
The Montreal Protocol, adopted nearly 10 years later, united the world in phasing out ozone-depleting substances.
Today, science continues to guide this work, ensuring refrigerant gases are managed safely and effectively across their lifecycle.
At the heart of this effort is the CSIRO’s Kennaook/Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station, operated in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology.
This world-leading facility has spent decades monitoring atmospheric composition, providing clear, evidence-based insights into how human activity influences greenhouse gas levels and the health of the ozone layer.
In 2023, Cape Grim recorded a historic result, the first-ever decrease in HCFC-22 concentration since measurements began.
HCFC-141b also declined for the second consecutive year, and HCFC-142b is continuing its downward trend.
These results show how international agreements like the Montreal Protocol are delivering measurable environmental recovery.
RRA is proud to contribute to this vital scientific work through its sponsorship of the CSIRO’s Cape Grim program, ensuring the continued collection and analysis of this globally significant data.
In the 2025 financial year alone, RRA safely disposed of 127 tonnes of ozone-depleting substances, permanently preventing their release into the atmosphere.
To date, RRA’s work has preserved more than 10 million tonnes of ozone, reinforcing Australia’s role in achieving the Protocol’s goals.
RRA general manager, Kylie Farrelley, said this important work sits at the intersection of science, safety and environmental protection.
“Science has shown us how refrigerants interact with the atmosphere. It has also provided the blueprint for the destruction technologies that allow safe elimination of harmful gases,” she said.
“Every cylinder we collect and every kilogram we destroy is part of protecting the ozone layer and tackling climate change.”
This World Ozone Day, RRA honours the scientists, technicians, and industry partners who turn knowledge into action. Guided by evidence and a shared commitment to safety, we can continue to protect our atmosphere, from science to global action.
For more information on RRA’s work and lifecycle refrigerant management, visit: www.refrigerantreclaim.com.au