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Halon Management:Banking for the Future

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UNEPUNEP IE/PAC UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMMEINDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME ACTIVITY CENTRE

INTERNATIONAL RECYCLED HALON BANK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE

INFORMATION KIT

Foreword 2

Introduction 3

What is Halon Banking? 4

How to Obtain Halon 5

What are Essential Uses? 6

How the UNEP IE/PAC Clearinghouse can help 7

Whom to Contact 7

Your Questions Answered 8

Halon Management:Banking for the Future

ForewordThe Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, anhistoric achievement in global legislation, originally foresaw only a capon the production and consumption of halon in 1992. Halons wereconsidered so important for fire safety that their exclusion from morestringent measures seemed justified. However, the accelerateddepletion of the ozone layer and awareness of the damage caused bybromine has now led to a complete phase-out of the production ofhalons by 1 January 1994 (with the exception of Article 5 countries,which have a 10-year grace period).

The main reason for this is to promote the use of recycled halons in order to prevent newproduction of halons in developed countries. For some existing installations halonreplacements are not available, and the use of existing halons from non-essential systems andthose which have been closed down is advised. Halon banking, as this process is called, willbe given international assistance. This should give countries, particularly developing ones,confidence that they will be able to obtain halons for their critical needs from such banks.

The purpose of this information kit is to provide basic information on the status of halonbanking in different countries and to describe procedures by which countries can obtaininformation on the availability of surplus halons.

Contents

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IntroductionThe ozone layer forms a thin shield in the stratosphere,protecting all life on Earth from the Sun’s harmful ultravioletradiation. Chlorofluoro- and bromofluorocarbons are themain cause of the alarming rate of destruction of the ozonelayer. Halons 1211, 1301 and 2402, which are fullyhalogenated chemicals that have relatively long lifetimes in theatmosphere, are broken down in the stratosphere releasingreactive bromine that is extremely damaging to ozone: 10–100times more so than chlorine. Of the total bromine in theatmosphere, approximately 15–20 parts per trillion, about 5 parts derive from halons, the remaindercoming from methyl bromide. While methyl bromide has both natural and anthropogenic sources,halons have only anthropogenic origin. Reactions involving bromine are estimated to be responsiblefor 25 per cent of the chemical destruction of ozone over Antarctica and 50 per cent over the Arctic.The ozone depleting potential of halons is 3–10 times greater than that of CFCs.

The background to the phase-outThe 1992 Meeting of the Parties in Copenhagen decided to phase out consumption andproduction of halons in developed countries by 1 January 1994. Parties operating underArticle 5 of the Protocol have a 10-year grace period where production for basic domesticneeds is still allowed. In addition, Parties can ask for an exemption on production andconsumption for ‘essential’ uses under certain conditions.

At the same meeting, the Parties decided to allow unrestricted trade of recycled halonsprovided that the relevant data are reported to UNEP under the procedures of the Protocol.

These decisions make an orderly transition to fire protection without halons possible.Existing valuable or critical installations can be protected by halons until other arrangementshave been made. In addition, the decisions allow time for alternative means of protection tobe developed for installations where other extinguishing systems are not adequate.

Importance of halon banksThese decisions have made it important to plan for the recycling and reuse of halons. This will:• facilitate the transfer of available halon from one user to satisfy the needs of another;• discourage emissions to the atmosphere; and• mitigate the need for consumption and production exemptions for ‘essential uses’.

If the ‘global bank’—at the moment just an idea—can be made productive it willmean that halon 1301 will be available for several decades and halon 1211 for at least 10years. International cooperation is needed to ensure that one nation’s surplus halon isexported to meet the needs of another nation. This is especially true for developingnations which have only minimal internal banks due to their restricted number of installations.

International trade in recycled halonAt their 1992 Meeting in Copenhagen, the Parties also decided to allowinternational trade in recycled halons. The Protocol was amended to ‘Not take intoaccount for calculating consumption, the import and export of recycled and usedcontrolled substances (...) provided that data on such imports and exports aresubject to reporting under Article 7’. With this decision, the Parties opened the wayto international halon bank management. The Parties were concerned aboutpotential barriers of trade for recycled halons. Undue restrictions might lead toventing in one country or dependence on newly produced halon in another.

The role of UNEP IE/PAC The Industry and Environment Programme Activity Centre of the United NationsEnvironment Programme (IE/PAC) in Paris was appointed by the Parties as a clearinghousefor information relevant to halon bank management and international trade in recycledhalons. It will also provide information about and coordinate its activities with the designatedorganization of the Multilateral Fund.

IE/PAC sees its role as a broker for all information related to the effective management ofhalons-alternative approaches to fire protection. It will establish the databases needed toprovide this information to interested parties.

bromine radical

CClF2

halon 1211CBrClF2

ozone(O3) oxygen

molecule(O2)

bromine monoxide

free bromine

radical

UV radiation series of reactions

JANUARY

1994

UNEP

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What is Halon Banking?Halon banks at national level

The quantities of halons banked in existing containers, portable fire extinguishers and mobile units isfar greater than the quantities produced every year. This existing stock of halons becomes slowlyavailable for recycling and reuse as installations are closed down or alternative fire protectionmeasures are introduced. The halon bank is therefore a valuable asset and it seems prudent to manageit at national level. Bank management consists of keeping track of halon quantities at each stage: initialfilling, installation, recovery, recycling and recharging (see diagram below).

Banks and clearinghousesHalon banks take different forms in different countries. Most are not physical ‘banks’ with warehousesand storage tanks, but are inventories with a list of halon users who no longer require theirextinguishing agents and of users who still require halons but do not have (or will not have in thefuture) sufficient stock. Halon bank management provides a method of matching the two.

Some of the halon banks purchase halons, reclaim it and have it ready for resale. Others keep adetailed inventory of stocks available at owners’ premises and only a small amount is recycled andready for reuse. This activity resembles an information clearinghouse. Such banks trade informationon the availability of halons and leave the process of sale and purchase to the individuals concerned.

Some halon banks require membership to participate in the trade. It is therefore wise to investigateearly the conditions under which a bank will conduct business with a potential buyer.

There is obviously no universal template for halon banks. This is primarily because the key elementof the banking process is the reversal of the original supply and distribution process which varied fromcountry to country. However, it is possible to specify the key elements needed in each country.

obsolete or returnedfor servicing

recycledhalon

to recovery depot

analysis

reuse in extinguishing systems

treatment

storage of non–recyclable halon

recovery

CONTRACT HALONBANK

HALONBANK

HALONBANK

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How to Obtain HalonInquiring in your own country

One recommended way to ensure supply is to set up a network of halon users in your own country.Even in countries with only few existing installations, systems are closed down at some point and theirhalon will become available for recycling. In addition, some owners keep reserve stock for theirsystems. To ensure ongoing protection you may wish to establish a halon users network that will enableusers to rely on one another in emergency.

If a national halon bank already exists, you should inquire there first. Even if it has no surplushalon available, it may be able to tell you in which country halon may be available.

Obtain a list from IE/PACIE/PAC will provide a regularly updated list of implemented andworking halon banks with contact addresses, phone and faxnumbers and, if available, the requirements for exports.

Obtain information on availabilityIE/PAC will provide a regularly updated list of available halonregistered at its office. This will indicate where to ask. You can alsocontact halon banks directly using their addresses and numbers inthis information kit.

Contact a halon bankCall or fax the halon bank you selected and put in a detailedrequest, including the amount and type of halon wanted. Ask forthe bank’s conditions for the sale of halon and for the informationthey will need to grant exports.

Prepare an essential use document A document demonstrating the essentiality of the intended use mayhave to be provided by the applicant.

Finalize the terms of the transactionPrepare a document containing the terms of the transactionbetween the client and the halon bank.

Prepare an application to the Multilateral Fund Depending on the situation, the incremental cost to Article 5countries of buying recycled halon rather than producing it couldbe paid for by the Multilateral Fund on a case-by-case basis.

The international way: a step-by-step approach

HALONBANK

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ALON

US E R

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ALON

US E R

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ALON

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ALON

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ALON

US E R

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ALON

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system closed down: halon supply becomes available for recycling

halon banks able to advise on location of halon supplies as

they become available

A network of halon users helps to keep track ofhalon supplies as they become available for

recycling; better still, a halon bank will tell youexactly where to obtain the halon you need.

UNEP ➔

UNEP ➔

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MU

LTILATERA

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What are Essential Uses?

Essential use criteria In decision IV/26 of the Copenhagen Meeting the Parties called upon each other to apply theessential use criteria of the Halons Technical Options Committee when deciding on the import anduse of recycled halons.

This Committee stated that, before concluding that an installation is an essential halon use, thefollowing criteria should be satisfied:

A critical need must exist to minimize damage due to fire,explosions or extinguishing agent application, which wouldotherwise result in serious impairment of an essential service

to society, or pose an unacceptable threat to life, theenvironment, or national security … and … All otherappropriate fire protection measures have been taken.

The purpose of these criteria is to minimize the use of halons in non-essential applications and toensure that enough halon will be available for applications considered truly essential.

How to apply for an essential useThe following points may help you prepare a document which provides enough information for areview of essentiality of the intended halon use. The list should also help determine whether anapplicant has undertaken all necessary steps to minimize the use of halon.

1 provide details of the type and quantity of halon required;

2 provide a detailed description of the use;

3 explain why this use is necessary for health, safety or is critical for the functioning of society;

4 explain what other appropriate fire protection measures have been taken;

5 for new installations explain what alternative fire protection technologies were investigatedand why they were not considered adequate;

6 state whether the use of halons is required by international regulations for a certainapplication; and

7 document the efforts that were made to transfer halon for the requested applications fromother sources within your country.

Certain countries may not require information in exactly this form but some of these questions willcertainly be asked by all banks or countries. The format for the application, and deadlines forsubmission, should be obtained from UNEP’s Ozone Secretariat in Nairobi.

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How the UNEP IE/PAC Clearinghouse can Help

UNEP IE/PACMrs Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel39–43 quai André Citroën 75739 Paris Cedex 15, FranceTelephone: (33 1) 44 37 14 50Fax: (33 1) 44 37 14 74

OZONE SECRETARIATMr K. M. SarmaUNEP, PO Box 30552,Nairobi, KenyaTelephone: (254 2) 62 1234Fax: (254 2) 521 930

MULTILATERAL FUNDDr Omar El Arini27th Floor, Montreal Trust Building1800 McGill College, Avenue MontréalQuébec, Canada H3A 3J6Telephone: (1 514) 282 1122Fax: (1 514) 282 0068

For further information, contact the following:

Information availableThe following information is available from UNEP IE/PAC in written form. It will be regularlyupdated.• A list of national halon banks with contact addresses, phone and fax numbers and (if available) the

principles that govern each bank’s policy on the sale of halon.• Descriptions of existing halon banks and case studies on how to establish a national banking system.• References for standards on recycled halons.• Contact addresses of fire protection associations that are active in developing alternative means of

fire protection and fire hazard minimization; a list of references on guidelines to new fireprotection technologies can also be provided.

• Case studies on halon replacement efforts collected by IE/PAC (in preparation).

Contacts for National Halon Banking ActivitiesThe persons on this list can provide you with information concerning their country’s halon banking activities or plans.

Please note that functioning recycled halon banks do not yet exist in every country on this list.

AUSTRALIAName: DASCEM Halon BankDescription: A national halon bank organization that managesthe collection, storage and destruction of Australia’shalon stock, and maintains and manages the nationalstock of halon for approved uses into the 21st century.For more information contact: Mr Brent Davey, Technical Director,DAS Centre for Environmental Management (DASCEM),National Halon Bank, GPO 250B, Melbourne,Victoria 3001, AustraliaTel: (61) 008 658 084 Fax: (61 3) 649 4895

CANADAName: Halons Round TableDescription: A voluntary forum working towards thedevelopment of strategies for the management of halonsin Canada.For more information contact:Mr Reg White, Chief Engineer, Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada, 7 Crouse Road, Scarborough, Ontario M1R 3A9, CanadaTel: (1 416) 757 3611 Fax: (1 416) 757 1781

DENMARKName: Danish Halon Bank (DHB)Description: An independent company with shareholdersfrom industry, insurance and fire equipmentmanufacturers, with financal support provided by theDanish Government.For more information contact:Mr Erik Pedersen, Director, Fire Protection Department,Danish Institute of Fire Technology,Datavej 48, DK–3460 Birkerod, DenmarkTel: (45) 45 82 00 99 Fax: (45) 45 82 24 99

FRANCEName: Comité Technique Français Halons Environnement(CTFHE)Description: A committee composed of representativesfrom the Environment Ministry, halon manufacturers, anagreed national laboratory, fire equipmentmanufacturers’ association, the appropriate technicaldivision of the insurer’s association, large users and threeuser trade associations. The goal of CTFHE is to provideinformation for all concerned users, to ensure compliancewith the Montreal Protocol and other regulations, andhalon banking.For more information contact:Mr Hervé Bineau, Comité Technique Français HalonsEnvironnement (CTFHE), Secrétariat: CNPP, 5, rue Daunou, 75002 Paris, FranceTel: (33 1) 42 61 57 61 Fax: (33 1) 49 27 09 43

INDIAName: National Task Force on HalonsDescription: National organization established to studyhalon phase out and to suggest options.For more information contact:Mr H. S. Kaprwan, Deputy Director, Defence Institute ofFire Research, Ministry of Defence, Probyn Road,Timapur, Delhi - 110054, India Tel: (91 11) 23 32 25 Fax: (91 11) 23 32 39

JAPANName: Halon Recycling and Banking Support, JapanDescription: An independent, non-profit organizationcomprised of representatives of fire equipmentmanufacturers and major users/organizations of halonsystems.For more information contact:Mr Takaaki Konno, Japan Fire Extinguishing SystemManufacturers’ Association, 5-3-14 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 101, Japan Tel: (81 3) 3836 4598 or (81 3) 3832 2402 Fax: (81 3) 3836 3353

MALAYSIAName: (Not applicable)Description: Authority who controls the installation of fireservice protection systems in the country and which hasbeen given the mandate to manage collection, storageand destruction of halons as well as to monitor halonbank management in the country. For more information contact:Fire Service Department, Jalan Maharaja Lela,50596 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTel: (60 3) 248 6362 Fax: (60 3) 242 0773

THE NETHERLANDSName: Halon bank schemeDescription: No information availableFor more information contact:Mr Robert C. Basart, Coöperatieve vereniging Halonen,U.A., Varrolaan 100, PO Box 8138, 3503 RC Utrecht, The NetherlandsTel: (31 30) 588 688 Fax: (31 30) 588 600

RUSSIAN REPUBLICName: Halon bank scheme (under development)Description: The State Institute of Applied Chemistry inSt Petersburg and the Interagency Commission for theProtection of the Ozone Layer are developing a nationalhalon bank programme.For more information contact: Dr Nikolai P. Kopylov, All-Russian Research Institute forFire Protection, 143900 Moscow Region, Balashiha 6,Russian RepublicTel: (7 095) 253 94 84 Fax: (7 095) 521 26 22

SWEDENName: (Not applicable)Description: There will be no centralized halon bank inSweden. The military will maintain a bank for its ownneeds. Some companies will arrange a bank operation fortheir customers.For more information contact:Ms Kristina Lindgren, CFC Secretariat,Swedish Environmental Agency, S-171 85 SOLNA, SwedenTel: (46 8) 799 1157 Fax: (46 8) 799 1253

SWITZERLANDName: Swiss Halon Banking SystemDescription: The Federal Office of Environment Protectionand the Fire Equipment Manufacturers’ Association arecooperating on a clearinghouse which provides fireequipment manufacturers with information on availablesurplus and reclaimed halon-1301.For more information contact: Dr Walter Brunner, ENVICO,Forchstrasse 59, CH-8032 Zürich, SwitzerlandTel: (41 1) 381 20 60 Fax: (41 1) 381 20 68

UNITED KINGDOMName: Halon Users’ National Consortium (HUNC)Description: A limited company formed by halon usersand the fire industry, with the support of the Government.HUNC acts as a clearinghouse for sales of used halons,provides lists of companies which will recycle used halonsto specification, advises on the safe handling and disposalof halons and acts as a link between UK users and halonbanks in other countries.For more information contact: Mr Ken Simpson, The HalonUsers National Consortium Limited, 46 Bridge Street,Godalming, Surrey GU7 1HL, United KingdomTel: (44 483) 414147 Fax: (44 483) 414109

USAName: Halon Recycling Corporation(HRC) Description: A voluntary, non-profit trade associationformed to assist users of halons to inventory and re-deploythe existing bank of halon-1301. HRC will act as a brokerfor sales of halon-1301, provide guidelines and proceduresfor self-determination of essential halon use, provide a listof companies that recycle halon to standard, act as thelink between halon users in the U.S. and halon banks inother countries, etc.For more information contact: Mr Tom Cortina, ExecutiveDirector, Halon Alternatives Research Corporation,1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 712,Washington D.C. 20036, USATel: (1 202) 223 6166 Fax: (1 202) 223 5979

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What is a ‘halon bank’?Halon banks come in different forms. Most are notphysical ‘banks’ with warehouses but are inventorieswith a list of halon users who no longer require theirextinguishing agents and of users who still requirehalons but do not have (or will not have in the future)sufficient stock. The halon bank provides a method ofmatching the two. Some halon banks requiremembership to participate in the trade, some are mereclearinghouses that trade only information and leavethe process of sale and purchase to the individualsconcerned.

Is there an international halon bank?There is not yet an international halon bank. However,UNEP IE/PAC acts as an international clearinghouseto provide information on national banks and theavailability of surplus halons. All contacts betweenpotential buyers and sellers have to be made directlybetween the parties involved.

Do halons belong to governments?Halons belong both to government organizations andprivate companies. Depending on the situation in eachcountry, governments, especially military services, maybe the biggest user of halons. In general, governmentsdo not have a monopoly on trade or export of halons;in many cases governments are not involved at all inthe trade of halons, but may regulate it to somedegree.

What is the function of the UNEP clearinghouse forinternational bank management?UNEP IE/PAC will act as a source of information for allquestions related to international halon bankmanagement and trade of halons. It will also haveavailable information on new developments in alternativefire protection technologies and new extinguishingagents, and contact addresses for manufacturers andregulating agencies. In addition, UNEP IE/PACmaintains a list of case studies of halon phase-out indifferent areas of application (under preparation)

Can I get halon from UNEP IE/PAC?No. UNEP IE/PAC does not own any halon nor does itmake direct contacts for providing halons. However,you will get information from IE/PAC that will helpyou find out where surplus halon is available.

How can I find out about existing halon banks andcontact information?Check this information kit for the addresses of existingbanks or contact UNEP IE/PAC via fax, phone orletter and ask for their latest list of operating banks.

How can I find out about the availability of surplus halon?Contact UNEP IE/PAC via fax, phone or letter and askfor its list of registered stocks available at nationalhalon banks. You can also contact any of the halonbanks listed in this information kit and inquire abouttheir stock.

What information is necessary to obtain halons?This depends on the policy of the different countriesand halon banks. Some may ask for informationabout the essentiality of your intended use; othersmay ask a full list of question to establish that halonsare intended for a use in a critical application. Youshould also be prepared to answer questions aboutthe means of transport and how the transfer ofpayments will be made.

Does one have to prove essentiality before obtaining halon?Each halon bank may have a different policy aboutusing the essentiality criteria. It will therefore dependon the individual bank or on the country from whichyou ask for halons. Essentiality is not a requiredprerequisite for international trade, but its use isrecommended by the Parties of the Protocol.

Who decides on the terms and conditions for the purchaseof halons?It will normally be up to the seller and buyer toestablish his terms of trade. Halon banks are expectedto publish their terms and conditions and to makethem available at your request.

How can one ensure that the halons are of good quality?The best way to ensure quality is to ask for certificationof the material according to the appropriate technicalstandard such as ISO 7201 or ASTM ES24-93(originally intended for newly produced halons).Efforts are under way to develop other suitablestandards for recycled halons.

Where can standards be obtained?ISO and ASTM standards can be obtained fromnational standards organizations or from:International Standards OrganizationCase postale 56CH 1211 Genève 20, SwitzerlandTel: (41 22) 749 0111Fax: (41 22) 733 3430

or

American Society for Testing and Materials1916 Race StreetPhiladelphia PA 19103, USATel: (1 215) 299 5400Fax: (1 215) 977 9679

How can a halon bank be established?Halon banks exist in many different forms. Casestudies around the world suggest that the process hasto be initiated by bringing the key players together todiscuss the issue. The key players will be different ineach country, depending on the organization of thefire protection industry. Case studies on differentnational schemes are available from UNEP IE/PAC.The support offered in preparing country programmescan also be extended to provide help in establishing anational halon bank.

Your Questions Answered