Halon

EU Policy to Avoid Ozone Depletion Halon and CFC controls in Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 Tom Batchelor European Commission, DG ENV Information Sessions 2005

Submitted to UNEP in 2001 on: -Critical Uses -Statistics -Decommissioning -Destruction -Avoiding the ‘big hiss’ -Export prospects -Conclusions Halon Management Report

Halon Management... u Management Plan submitted to Parties by all Developed countries (Decision X/7) u Regulation (EC) 2037/2000: 1 Oct 2000 ….No virgin halon servicing 31 Dec 2002 …. No recycled halon servicing 31 Dec 2003 …. All Non-critical systems decommissioned

Aims of report... u Raise awareness u Encourage installation of alternatives u Recycle halon u Destroy halon u Conditions for export of halon Don’t release into the atmosphere ! Halon is 7-10 times more ozone depleting than CFCs

u Article 2 of the Regulation … u Use in the regulation means the utilisation of controlled substances in production or maintenance, in particular refilling ….

Critical halon uses... u Annex VII of Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 u Fire and explosion suppression in: –Aircraft, military, gas and petrochemical sectors –Cargo ships special and rare use of halon –The Channel tunnel  Commission obliged to review the list annually pursuant to Article 4(4)(iv) u Remove uses … don’t add more

Flour Pump Halon critical use on ships: flour unloading Halon to make pump inert

oil Halon critical use on ships: tanker Halon to make manned space inert

List of critical uses u See Word document

Statistics …. Installed in EU-15..…….14,500 tonnes Critical uses in EU-15 … 5,300 tonnes TOTAL 19,800 tonnes u Estimates by Fire Authorities in EU-15 u Reporting halon critical uses annually (see Template)

Alternatives to halons... u Inert gases u Fluorocarbons (HFC) u Water, water mist u Powders, fine aerosols u Carbon dioxide u Foams u HCFCs … supplier pays destruction costs u 3M Novec 1230 (6-C ketone)

HCFCs for fire fighting u HCFCs can be used to replace halons listed in Annex VII of Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 u 70% of the costs of halon removal and destruction must be paid by the HCFC installer u Limited time period – 2010? u Report amounts annually to the Commission u So far only known in Italy, Spain, Czech Republic and Hungary u Not recommended as HCFCs are a short term replacement and they deplete ozone

Safe decommissioning... u MS mandatory responsibility –Qualified personnel –Safe decommissioning procedures –Assistance of fire protection industry u Reduce or eliminate testing of system u Avoid careless handling leading to accidental discharge

Halon banks for critical uses … u Procure and store … halon banks –Netherlands, UK, Austria, Denmark –Military banks + others –Clearinghouse system for procurement and re-allocation –Halon banks must be designated by the government u UNEP Paris halon trader

Destruction of halon … u 75% of halon installed in the EC will need to be exported (+ value) or destroyed (- value) u No destruction facilities in CY, EL, ES, LU, IT, IR, PT and others u Waste …prior informed consent between MSs makes destruction complex

Measures to avoid venting halon... u Fines under Article 21 u Economic incentives e.g. 20% of funds reimbursed for early alternative installation (Austria) u Alternatives include recovery cost (Denmark) u Voluntary approaches (company leadership) u Awareness raising … high ODPs etc u Case studies in report

Export criteria... u Article 11(1)(d) permits the «...export of products and equipment containing halon to satisfy Critical Uses listed in Annex VII of the Regulation »; u DOT approved cylinders u Export Authorisation Number (EAN) required, together with specific information u Halon products (e.g. fire extinguishers) need EAN u Special reporting requirements for exports u 2004 review concluded that an earlier ban before 2009 is not warranted

Conclusions on halon... u “Destroyed halon is the best halon” u Risk of halon discharge to EC atmosphere is high due to: –High volume / short decommissioning time –Critical use banks are full –Export impediments –Negative value –Lack of MS measures and coordination –Complex waste destruction pathway u Act now !