Guidance

Critical uses of halons

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

• From: Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 7 February 2019
• Last updated: 16 January 2024 — See all updates

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

Published 7 February 2019
Last updated 16 January 2024 + show all updates

1. 16 January 2024

   Explained that a licence is needed to import or export critical use halons.

2. 1 December 2020

   Removed critical uses where the decommissioning deadline has been reached.

3. 7 February 2019

   First published.