Guidance

Critical uses of halons

Permitted critical uses of halons and the deadlines for decommissioning equipment containing halons.

Critical uses of halons are listed in the following tables. You must decommission the equipment by the stated deadline.

If you’re importing or exporting critical use halons, you need to apply for a licence to import or export ozone-depleting substances.

On aircraft

Critical use Type of extinguisher Type of halon Decommissioning deadline
To protect cabins and crew compartments Portable extinguisher 1211 2402 2025
To protect normally unoccupied cargo compartments Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2040
To protect engine nacelles and auxiliary power units Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2040
For the inerting of fuel tanks Fixed system 1301 2402 2040
To protect dry bays Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2040

On military ground vehicles

Critical use Type of extinguisher Type of halon Decommissioning deadline
To protect engine compartments Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2035
To protect crew compartments Fixed system 1301 2402 2040

On military surface ships

Critical use Type of extinguisher Type of halon Decommissioning deadline
To protect normally unoccupied electrical compartments Fixed system 1301 1211 2030
To protect command centres Fixed system 1301 2030
To protect fuel pump rooms Fixed system 1301 2030
To protect flammable liquid storage compartments Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2030
To protect normally unoccupied engine spaces Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2035
To protect normally occupied machinery spaces Fixed system 1301 2402 2040

On military submarines

Critical use Type of extinguisher Type of halon Decommissioning deadline
To protect machinery spaces Fixed system 1301 2040
To protect command centres Fixed system 1301 2040
To protect diesel generator spaces Fixed system 1301 2040
To protect electrical compartments Fixed system 1301 1211 2402 2040

In land-based command and communications facilities essential to national security

Critical use Type of extinguisher Type of halon Decommissioning deadline
To protect normally occupied spaces Fixed system 1301 2402 2025

Updates to this page

Published 7 February 2019
Last updated 16 January 2024 + show all updates
  1. Explained that a licence is needed to import or export critical use halons.

  2. Removed critical uses where the decommissioning deadline has been reached.

  3. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page