As part of the initial training courses for customs officials in Turkmenistan, a seminar was held at the customs office of Arkadag city to raise awareness in the prevention of illicit trafficking in ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

The event was organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). 

Participants familiarized themselves with international legal documents that regulate the prevention of illicit trafficking of ODS and HCFCs, such as the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 

Presentations and videos on key areas of monitoring and control of ODS were found to be useful in this part. 

The customs officials then applied the theoretical knowledge they acquired in practice by identifying ODS based on customs documentation, visually inspecting containers, and using ozone-depleting substance identifiers.