Halon 1211 and 1301 are widely used fire-suppression and explosion-protection agents. Both Halon 1211 and Halon 1301 have extremely high ozone-depletion potentials. As a result, production has been halted and use is being curtailed until existing supplies are exhausted. Any excess halon recovered from existing non-mission-critical applications should be returned to the Defense Ozone-Depleting Substances (ODSs) Reserve in accordance with Service procedures. Additional information on return procedures can be obtained from Defense Supply Center, Richmond at (804) 279-4525/5203. Mission critical applications for Halon 1301 includes:

• Shipboard fire protection,
• Aviation engine nacelle fire protection,
• Aviation fuel tank applications,
• Armored vehicle crew compartment explosion and fire protection,
• Aviation dry bay fire protection, and
• Aircraft hand held fire protection applications.

For Halon 1211 mission critical applications include:

• Flight line fire protection,
• Aviation crash, fire, and rescue vehicles, and
• Landcraft air cushion fire protection.

Conservation of halons is necessary to preserve existing supplies until replacement products and systems can be implemented. Actual use should be restricted to real incidents requiring fire suppression. Routine testing of systems for proper operation with the halon product is discouraged. Surplus halon is likely to be resold. Redistribution, recovery, recycling, and reclamation are all methods of meeting future halon demand. Recycling is the process of removing contaminants (oils, nitrogen, particulates, moisture) by refrigeration and filtration so that the halon can again be used in a fire suppression system. Reclaiming involves reprocessing the halon to new product specifications through filtration, distillation, refrigeration, and vaporization. The military specification for Halon 1211 has been revised to allow the use of recycled halon. Also, ASTM has developed ES 24-93, an emergency specification for Halon 1301 for both commercial and military use.

Halon Recycling and Redistribution: Both E/M Corporation, a subsidiary of Great Lakes Chemical Corporation, and Automatic Suppression Systems of South Holland, Illinois, provide a recycling service to restore contaminated halon back to mil-spec quality. In addition, they serve as a market for Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 for resale to distributors. The steps required to recover halon include the following:

1) Verify that cylinders contain Halon 1301, Halon 1211, or other halons.

2) Transfer halon to blow-down tank for storage.

3) Recycle halon through a recycling system to remove contaminants or reclaim the halon so that it meets all necessary specifications.

4) Verify that the reclaimed halon meets the necessary specifications.

5) Return halon to storage cylinders.

When shipping Halon 1301, either interstate or intrastate, DOT requirements need to be followed. All shipping containers must be marked with the proper warning label (green label for compressed gas non-flammable) and proper safety plugs. Shipping caps must also be used.

Halon Recycling Equipment: Several manufacturers have developed recycling equipment for both Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 that recovers almost 100% of the halon and reclaims it to meet specifications.

In order to recycle halon, certain components are required. The pumping system must be able to quickly and efficiently (99 percent efficiency to prevent the escape of halon into the atmosphere) move the halon liquid and vapor from the storage tank to processing equipment. Operating pressures range from 360 to 600 psig for pressurized cylinders down to a vacuum of 10 to 20 inches of mercury for cylinders which will be opened to the atmosphere. The recycling system should include modules for 1) removing contaminants by filtration and 2) removing nitrogen by condensing the halon and venting the nitrogen. Filters should be replaceable without the release of halon. In general, the two modules can run automatically and are not labor intensive.

For a more detailed analysis of Halon 1301 recycling equipment see the Pollution Prevention Opportunity Data Sheet "Halon 1301 Recycler."

For more detailed information on Halon 1211 and 1301 alternatives, see the Pollution Prevention Opportunity Data Sheets, "Halon 1211: Uses, Restrictions and Replacements," and, "Halon 1301: Uses, Restrictions and Replacements."

Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 are still approved for use, but only in mission-critical applications such as flight-line fire fighting and ship- and shore-based crash and rescue operations. Halon for use in mission critical applications is supplied by DLA from the Defense ODS Reserve. The purchase of new/reclaimed product is becoming more difficult and more costly. Procurement of halon 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.

Vendors have provided the following information on halon recycling services for bringing halon back to military specifications. For small amounts of halon (e.g., 100 lbs.), a recycling service will typically provide the recycling services in exchange for the halon. For larger quantities of halon (e.g., 1,000 lbs.) recyclers will purchase the halon from the facility or bank the halon for the facility for future use. The cost of these options depends on the needs of the facility. Vendors can store the halon in the existing cylinders or bank it in bulk storage facilities. The following are typical costs for services:

• Recycling and banking in your cylinders: $75/cylinder per year
• Recycling to military specifications: $2/lb
• Recycling and storage in a bulk storage facility: $2/lb recycling fee plus $100-$200 per year banking fee and approximately $100/cylinders for cylinder destruction

Assumptions:

• 1000 lbs. of halon 1301/year recycled and from five halon 204 spheres.
• Labor Rate: $30/hr.
• Labor to remove and ship cylinders: 5 hours
• Labor to perform on-site recycling: 24 hours per cylinder
• Shipping costs $300 per cylinder.

Economic Analysis Summary:

• Annual Savings for Halon 1301 Recycling off-site: $350
  
• Capital Cost for Diversion Equipment/Process: $39,500

Note: Recycling Services will be more cost effective unless very large quantities of halon are recycled on-site.

Click Here to View an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values.
To return from the Active Spreadsheet, click the Back arrow on the Tool Bar.