Portable hand-held Halon fire extinguishers have been one of the standard types of fire extinguishers in common use. An ODS-free substitute must be found to replace Halon units. On December 31, 1993, Halon production was eliminated in the US because of its contributions to ozone depletion. Halon 1211 and 1301 are still approved for use, but only in mission-critical applications.

Since January 1993, joint service personnel have been banned from purchasing Halons, but not the use of existing Halon systems. Non-mission-critical Halon applications require the use of a substitute and then conversion from the Halon-based system. For example, Halon 1301 is used in aircraft simulators, but those non-mission-critical systems must eventually be modified to use an alternate fire extinguishing agent in accordance with current joint service policy. In order to purchase new halon equipment, senior acquisition official approval must be granted. Furthermore, many automatically activated Halon extinguishing systems have been deactivated and can now only be triggered manually. In the event of a discharge, the systems are not to be recharged with Halon. The onboard systems will be replaced when an acceptable substitute is available. Some alternate fire suppression agents for use as a substitute for Halon 1301 have been identified and are being used in the services. Halon 1301 is a widely used fire suppression and explosion protection agent applied in the total flooding manner.

The majority of Halon 1211 portable fire extinguishers found inside buildings can be replaced with dry chemical extinguishers and/or carbon dioxide extinguishers. However, research and implementation is still ongoing to identify replacements for Halon 1211 extinguishers used in many weapon system/specialty applications (aviation, air-cushion vehicles, command and control spaces, etc.). In some cases, Halon 1211 in these other applications is being replaced by dry chemical blends such as Cold Fire ^TM, and/or carbon dioxide extinguishers. In other applications, alternative halocarbon agents such as HFC-227ea and HFC-236fa are being evaluated as alternatives.

Halon 1211 and 1301 for use in mission critical applications is supplied by DLA from the Defense ODS Reserve. Procurements of Halon 1211 and 1301 for any other uses requires a certification by an authorized technical representative (ATR) and approval by a senior acquisition official (SAO) at the flag/general officer or civilian SES level in accordance with Section 326 of the FY-93 Defense Authorization Act. Furthermore, excess Halon 1211 and 1301 removed from non-mission-critical applications should be returned to the Defense ODS Reserve in accordance with Service procedures. Further information on return procedures can be obtained from Defense Supply Center, Richmond at (804) 279-4525/5203.

• Reduces the amount of ozone depleting substances going into the environment.
• Alternatives can provide a non-global warming agent or lower global warming potential.
• Many alternatives are non-toxic and non-corrosive, as well as biodegradable

• Careful consideration of the choices is necessary in order to select the optimal alternative.
• Higher concentration or greater quantity of the extinguishing may be required because some substitutes may not be as effective.
• The Cold Fire^TM aerosol version is intended primarily for use on small, startup fires. The surfactant is propelled by compressed air. It is approved for Class A and B fires only. It contains water and is, therefore, not suitable for use on Class C (electrical fires).

Use of pollution prevention funds for replacement of Halon fire extinguishing systems with non-Halon based systems is not authorized if the reason for conversion is that the existing system has reached the end of its life expectancy. The economic feasibility of each substitute is highly dependent on the application.

Assumptions:

• Cost of 5 gal. pail of Cold Fire: $60.02
• Cost of 15 lbs. Halon 1211 fire extinguisher (NSN 6830-01-092-3263): $82.26
• Both fire suppression agents are used in equivalent amounts.
• Shipping cost for used Halon fire extinguisher is dependent upon size and origin of shipment. If the transportation cost exceeds $250, the Defense Supply Center Richmond will pay the cost.

Cost Comparison for Cold Fire vs. Halon 1211 Fire Extinguisher