Properties of Halon Gas '* Exiromely effective extinguishing medium ‘¢ Halon is 5 times hi vier than CO, ‘* Halon vapourises readily when exposed to heat ‘¢ Forme @ vapour cloud which blankets the fire by displacing air ‘+ Halon gas is non corrosive and non abrasive ‘+ Halon interferes with the combustion process and extinguishes the fire Advantages ‘¢ Halon loaves no residues ‘+ Halon cylinders can be located inside or outside protected spaces Disadvantages Halon gas depletes ozone layer by up to 25%. Ozone layer is part of stratosphere and protects the earth from ultraviolet radiation of the sun. The radiation increases when the protective ozone layer is thinned down. Increased levels of ultraviolet radiation leads to increase in skin cancs ‘eye cataracts, suppression of the immunity system, decrease in crop yields and reduction of phytoplankton in the oceans. Under the auspices of UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), the Montreal protocol listed halon gases as controlled substances. The protocol encouraged the replacement of all ozone depleting substances with those substances or procedures that protected it. The international fire protection community suggested alternatives that were environmentally less damaging than halons. The parties to the Montreal protocol agreed to stop production and consumption of halon in non industrialised countries {rom 1" January 1994 Maritime safety committee, a committee of the IMO, passed a resolution, MSC.27 (61), that prohibits installation of new halon fire fighting systems on all ships from 1 July 1994, But the ates for phasing out halon on ships constructed before 1" July 1994 has still not been finalised.