Halon 1301 and 1211 fire suppression agent is still being used throughout South Africa and Africa in active fire systems protecting valuable assets and equipment.
In 1994 Halon was banned by the Montreal Protocol and since then many alternatives have been introduced into the market.
Up until now if Halon systems were decommissioned and replaced it was with one of the many products available in our market eg, Inergen, Agronite, FM200, HFC125 or CO2. The Halon removed from these sites was then tested and if found to be suitable quality it would be re-used in critical applications. However, ±90% of the Halon returned to the bank was found to be of such poor quality that it could not be used in any of these applications. It appears that in the past suppliers were blending 1211 with 1301 or in some cases filling 1301 cylinders with 1211. This has left the Halon bank vendors storing huge quantities of Halon that cannot be re-used.
The Halon Bank of South Africa (HBSA) has managed to secure destruction facilities in South Africa, this is great news as now Halon bank vendors can start reducing the Halon stocks by having it destroyed. Halon can now be returned to the Halon bank vendor who will need to transfer Halon into bulk containers and transport to destruction facilities. There are charges associated with the destruction of the Halon. To find out more on costs make contact with the Halon bank who will direct you to a suitable vendor.
The Halon problem
Since 1994 the countries signing the Montreal Protocol accepted policies to implement making restrictions on the use of Halon. South Africa signed this protocol and we have since been successfully decommissioning Halon systems throughout the country.
South Africa does not, however, have any laws stating that Halon systems have to be decommissioned.
If you have a Halon system installed or you know of sites where these systems are installed, the Halon cylinders installed will have to be hydro tested by law, this means that the gas inside the cylinder will have to be decanted, the cylinder tested and refilled. An amount of 10-15% Halon will be lost into the atmosphere. And you will have to get permission from the Halon Bank of South Africa to top up the cylinders with Halon bank stock. The Halon bank will not allow their Halon gas to be used in applications that are not critical such as aircraft and military.
While Halon decommissioning is now mandatory in many countries, from a regulatory point of view, the Montreal Protocol, with its Decision X/7, all countries should consider issues such as:
* Discourage the use of Halons in installations and equipment.
* Encourage the use of a replacement acceptable from an environment and health standpoint, taking into account their impact on the ozone layer, on climate change and any other environmental issue.
* Promote appropriate measures to ensure the environmental safe and effective recovery, storage, management and destruction of Halons.
A few steps that could help companies considering replacing Halon
Firstly, check the date on the storage cylinders, according to local regulations these cylinders will have to be inspected and tested. This will require decanting the Halon into bulk containers, testing, and the cylinders and refilling. 10-20% of the gas could get lost into the atmosphere in the process and spare components may not be available for your system. Not the ideal situation as this will cost lots of money.
Secondly, companies that have Halon should have it tested by the Halon Bank of South Africa, which might find it is not Halon and will therefore not offer any form of protection. If the Halon is found to be of acceptable quality there may be a value attached as this Halon can be used in critical applications approved by the Halon Bank of South Africa.
Thirdly, make sure whoever removes the Halon will get confirmation from the Halon Bank of South Africa that it is decommissioned in accordance with their requirements. This is to prevent contractors selling unauthorised Halon into the market.
Select a suitable replacement.
What does the law say?
At the moment there are no laws regarding the use and mandatory decommissioning of Halon systems in South Africa, however the bank typically follows the trends of the European Union, which are critical applications according to European Regulation No. 2037/2000 that was adopted by the Parliament on 13 June 2000 and by the Council on 20 June 2000. The new regulation became applicable in October 2000. Overall, the new regulation provides for a significant improvement for the ozone layer through a quicker elimination of all ozone depleting substances in the European Union than that agreed under the Montreal Protocol. The new Regulation includes a ban on the sale and use of Halons after 31 December 2002 (except for critical uses) with mandatory decommissioning of non-critical Halon systems required by 31 December 2003. The new regulations make compulsory the recovery and disposal of Halons from fire protection equipment. HCFCs can be used to replace Halons in critical use systems as long as the removed Halon is destroyed and 70% of the destruction costs are covered by the supplier of the HCFCs. The regulations include the following list of critical Halon uses which can be substituted by HCFCs: Halon 1301.
* In aircraft for the protection of crew compartments, engine nacelles, cargo bays and dry bays,
* In military land vehicles and naval vessels for the protection of spaces occupied by personnel and engine compartments,
* For the making inert of occupied spaces where flammable liquid and/or gas release could occur in the military and oil, gas, and petrochemical sector, and in existing cargo ships,
* For the making inert of manned communication and command centres of the armed forces or otherwise essential for national security,
* For the making inert of spaces where there may be a risk of dispersion of radioactive matter,
* In the Channel Tunnel and associated installations and rolling stock.
The new regulations also restrict the import and export of ozone depleting substances, including Halons. The regulation states that exports of Halons are prohibited, except for those contained in products and equipment aimed for critical uses. There are some who believe that export of bulk quantities of recycled Halons will be allowed as long as the Halon is intended for one of the critical uses listed in the regulation.
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