THE space shuttle could be grounded and aircraft banished from the skies when
the manufacture of firefighting chemicals ceases in 2006 to protect the ozone
layer.
Firefighters have called on the world鈥檚 users of halons not to destroy the
ozone-depleting chemicals鈥攐r worse, release them into the air鈥攁s old
fire-extinguishing systems are junked. Instead, users should recycle and store
the precious gas in banks around the world to support essential uses for which
there are as yet no substitutes.
Gary Taylor, Canadian fire consultant and co-chair of the Protocol鈥檚 Halon
Technical Options Committee, says there are problems with supplies of
halon-1301, one of the two most widely used forms. In confined spaces where
firefighting chemicals have to be swift-acting but non-toxic, halon-1301 will
continue to be needed for a long time. 鈥淭here is as yet no safe alternative,鈥�
says Taylor.
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At any time, commercial airlines carry 700 tonnes of the chemical鈥攎ore
than current annual global production. 鈥淭he world鈥檚 entire commercial aircraft
fleet is protected by halon-1301,鈥� says Taylor. 鈥淭hey need it to get an
air-worthiness certificate.鈥�
NASA鈥檚 space shuttle fleet and its launch facilities are protected by 40 000
pieces of firefighting equipment containing halon-1301. NASA is conserving
stocks by cutting unnecessary emissions, according to Michelle Collins, who
manages the space agency鈥檚 halon bank. The policy has cut emissions by 95 per
cent since 1987 to just 250 kilos a year.
Some industrialised countries have built up large stockpiles of recycled
halons, as none has manufactured the chemicals since 1994. Australia has a store
of 2000 tonnes to meet essential needs until 2030.
Nine-tenths of the world鈥檚 current halon production is in China. But
according to Taylor鈥檚 committee, most of it is wasted on uses for which
alternatives are freely available. The concern is that these halons will
eventually be released into the air rather than being recycled.
A recent UN deal should see Western governments funding the closure of the
world鈥檚 last manufacturing plants in China in 2006. 鈥淚t would be a tragedy for
the world to gather up and destroy all the halons and then have to come back a
couple of years later and restart production to supply airlines and the
military,鈥� says Taylor.
