Halon Critical Uses and Alternatives

Halons are the substances which are most harmful to the ozone layer, their potential to destroy ozone being three to ten times higher than that of CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons). Under the Montreal Protocol, halon production in the developed countries was banned from 1st. January 1994, since technically and economically feasible alternatives for the majority of uses of halons were available. EU Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer controlled marketing and use of halons (1211, 1301 and 2402). Exceptions were made for a list of uses of halons in areas defined in annex 7 as critical uses. This report contains information on current areas of use of halon in the Nordic countries, Denmark, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The information was gathered by using contacts in the fire, security and defence fields, together with communications by mail and e-mail to other contacts and potential contacts as well as extensive Internet searching.