The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), along with state Environment Directorate, plans to host a workshop to create awareness and check the movement of hazardous goods that can lead to environment pollution.

The three-day workshop — Trans Boundary Movement of Environment Risk Substances — will begin in Shrawasti from December 30.

“The aim of the workshop is to create awareness among authorities to check the movement of hazardous substances between India and Nepal. We have received the proposal and are working out the modalities,” said Alok Ranjan, Principal Secretary of Environment and Urban Development.

“We wish to keep a check on the movement of goods that create environment pollution across the border. These include refrigerants that have chlorofluorocarbons. Items like refrigerators and air conditioners pose the risk of depleting the ozone layer,” said Yashpal Singh, Director of the Environment Directorate.

The Kyoto Protocol, enforced in 2005, aims at the reduction of four greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and sulphur hexafluoride. Similarly, in Montreal Protocol enforced in 1989, a decision was taken to phase out the production of substances that led to depletion of the Ozone layer. “We aim to enforce the same here as well,” said Singh.

The UNEP has forwarded the proposal to the Environment Directorate. While the state government has been asked to provide the logistics, UNEP will bear the cost of the workshop. “Deliberations in this regard are still going on and we are yet to receive approvals from the state and Central governments,” said Singh.

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