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The
manufacture of Halon has been banned since January 1994 in response to
the Montreal Protocol. Chubb has developed a Halon Management Service to
deal with these problems, aimed at helping users to convert from Halon
to an alternative and to manage existing resources effectively for
essential users.
From the end of December 2002, the refilling of Halon systems will be
banned for all but essential users and similarly there will be a
complete ban on the use of Halon at the end of December 2003, by which
time all portable extinguishers and fixed systems must be taken out of
service.
There are five elements:
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Decommissioning,
removal and disposal
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Recycling
the reclaimed gas
-
Storing
the recycled Halon
-
The
safe destruction of Halon if necessary
-
Advice
on alternative extinguishing agents
Halon Disposal
Chubb is licensed to handle Halon. The company employs teams of
specialist engineers, trained to decommission Halon systems. Chubb also
decommissions Halon extinguishers. The company collects the
extinguishers from customers' premises and recycles or disposes of the
gas safely.
Halon Recycling
The recycled Halon is transferred to Chubb's specially designed
collecting cylinders. The cylinders are stored at Chubb's Halon Bank,
where they are monitored regularly to prevent leakage. Chubb is able to
supply the Halon to customers to recharge fixed systems and operates a
24 hour call out service to deal with emergencies.
Halon Destruction
If Halon has to be destroyed, this can be completed safely using a
purpose-built incinerator, which operates at a very high temperature.
The incineration system has been approved by the UK Environmental Agency,
the body responsible for monitoring the destruction of Halon.
Confirmation that Halon has been successfully destroyed is supplied to
both the customer and the authorities in line with current legislation.
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