Halon extinguishers have been banned from use since December 2003 due to their ozone depleting properties

Halon Fire Extinguishers are now banned

Portable Halon 1211 (BCF) extinguishers have been banned because of the ozone depleting properties of the gas, however many thousands are likely to still exist across a whole range of businesses and in the public sector.

Business Users: 

Please call Chubb Fire on 0800 32 1666 to arrange safe disposal of your halon extinguishers.

Domestic Users:

Your local amenity centre should take in old Halon Fire Extinguishers, and then Chubb will arrange a bulk collection.  Any problems, call the Halon hotline on 0800 01 01 06 for more advice.

They were particularly popular because as well as being very efficient, they were suitable for use on most types of fires - including fires involving live electrical equipment. They were also clean to use and harmless to delicate equipment such as computers.

However, EC Directive E3093/94 states that except for essential users, since December 2002, Halon fire extinguishers cannot be serviced or refilled if used and they must have been removed and properly disposed of since December 2003.

Despite all the publicity about the environmental regulations relating to this gas, there are still many fire extinguisher owners who are not aware that Halon is now banned. Smaller businesses who do not have a health and safety officer or other expert advice will be particularly vulnerable.

It is now well over a decade since the EEC committed to controls to protect the ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol on Substances which Deplete the Ozone Layer was adopted in 1987 to start setting controls and reductions in CFC and Halon production and consumption.

In 1989, Chubb led the fire industry by being the first company to stop using Halon in their products on environmental grounds. Instead they launched the first Halon reclamation unit to recycle the gas for essential users - who mainly comprise the military, police, fire service and aviation industry - and continue to take responsibility for the safe disposal of Halon.

"We have been urging business to take early action to remove Halon fire extinguishers and systems for many years now, so I am amazed that feedback from our service teams suggests that they are still being sold. Until recently Halon still had a resale value for essential users, but now, disposing of Halon extinguishers properly, is a costly operation - and not only is it illegal to just dump it, if Halon is not disposed of properly we will all suffer", added John Spencer.

Employers are urged to carry out a fire risk assessment when determining the most appropriate alternative extinguisher, to ensure fire cover is not compromised by the removal of Halon extinguishers.

Footnote:

It is 25 years since CFCs were first linked to stratospheric ozone destruction and 17 years since the British Antarctic Survey first observed a 'hole' in the ozone layer. In 1985, 20 nations and the EEC signed the Vienna Convention for the protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol was adopted in 1987 to start setting controls and reductions in CFC and Halon production and consumption.

Following on from the Montreal Protocol, the Kyoto Protocol has now been established to control emissions of global warming gasses. The fire protection industry has fully supported the successive objectives of progressive reduction in emissions of gasses with potential impact on ozone depletion, global warming and other environmental interests. The industry continues to work closely with all interested parties to ensure that there is no threat to people and property whose safety is protected by their products.

In 1989, Chubb was the first fire protection company to withdraw from the use of Halon in their products. A policy decision to stop using Halon was taken on environmental grounds. Instead they set up a Halon management service which included a Halon recycling operation (for essential users) and a storage bank - the first in the country to be recognised by the Halon Users National Consortium (HUNC). To get off the ground, the entire operation had to be strictly licensed and controlled by the Environmental Agency, with an independent laboratory checking the recycled gas to ensure it has been properly reclaimed and therefore fit for further use.