STEPS TOWARD HALON PHASE-OUT, PROPOSED SUBSTITUTES AND ALTERNATIVE FOR FIXED FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

Following the ratification of Vienna Convention for Ozone Layer Protection and Montreal Protocol, Indonesia will implement the phasing-out of to halon at end 1996. Questions are increasing especially from the users where halon has used for many years as the most effective fire extinguishing agent, concerning halon substitutes, alternative systems as well as the handling and utilization of the existing halon. Halon can still be used for critical and essential uses, however, such usage has been gradually eliminated, due to the emergence of halon-like replacement. A concept of halon banking system is proposed to considered, taking into account several aspects such as enforced regulation, institutional involvement technology as well as financing. This paper gives a general overview regarding phase-out implementation, alternative extinguishing systems and concept on halon banking system with special reference to Indonesian case.