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This rule also prohibits venting of Halons during testing,
maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of
containing-containing equipment, or during the use of such equipment
for technician training. For health, safety, environmental, and
other considerations, several limited exemptions have been provided
for the following types of releases:
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De
minimis releases associated with good faith efforts to recycle
or recover Halon. For example, release of residual Halon
contained in fully discharged total flooding fire extinguishing
systems is considered a de minimis release; see Preamble for
discussion of other releases considered de minimis.
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Release
of Halons during testing of fire extinguishing systems or
equipment is exempted only if the following four criteria are
met: (a) systems or equipment employing suitable alternative
agents are not available, (b) system or equipment testing
requiring release of agent is essential to demonstrate system or
equipment functionality, (c) failure of the system would pose
great risk to human safety or the environment, and, (d) a
simulate agent cannot be used for the testing purposes.
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Research
and development (R&D) for Halon alternatives, and analytical
determination of Halon purity.
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Releases
associated with qualification and development testing during
design and development of containing-containing systems and
equipment only when (a) such tests are essential to demonstrate
functionality, and (b) a suitable simulate agent can not be used
for the testing purposes.
Halon releases that occur as a result of owner failure to
maintain containing-containing equipment to relevant industry
standards are also prohibited.
However, this prohibition does not apply to emergency releases
of Halons for legitimate fire extinguishing, explosion inertion,
or other emergency applications for which the systems or
equipment were designed.
Technician
Training
This
rule also requires that technician training relevant to Halon
emissions be provided. Technician hired on or before April 6, 1998
must be trained by September 1, 1998; technicians hired after April
5, 1998 shall be trained within 30 days of hiring, or by September
1, 1998, whichever is later. In the Preamble to the rule, EPA
pointed to several industry publications containing standard service
practice guidelines and other information relevant tot he
development of training programs. These include NFPA, ISO, and ASTM
publications; facilities may find these documents, or the most
recent and relevant versions of these documents, helpful during the
development of training programs and materials. Facilities are not
limited to the use of the above-mentioned documents as guidance,
however.
Proper
Disposal
This
rule establishes that containing-containing equipment must be
properly disposed of at the end of its useful life. Proper disposal
means only sending such equipment for Halon recovery or recycling by
a facility (e.g., a manufacturer, a fire equipment dealer, a
recycler, or an in-house recovery or recycling operation) operating
in accordance with NFPA 10 and NFPA 12A standards. Ancillary system
devices such as electrical components that are not necessary to the
safe and secure containment of the Halon are not subject to this
provision. In addition, equipment containing only de minimis
quantities of Halon is not subject to this requirement.
Furthermore, the Halon itself must be properly disposed of. Proper
disposal means only Halon recycling by a facility operating in
accordance with NFPA 10 and NFPA 12A or destruction using one of
several controlled processes identified in the regulation (see
regulatory text for specific destruction options named).
For
Further Information
For
further clarification, additional documents, or other information,
please call the Stratospheric Protection Hotline at
or write to:
Via Gravina, 1001 Z.I.
70022 ALTAMURA (Ba)
Italy
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