Halon Fire Extinguishers e.g. BCF Fire Extinguishers
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the competent authority for the implementation and enforcement of Regulation (EC) 1005/2009 on substances that deplete the ozone layer (the ODS Regulation) within Ireland. Halons are Ozone Depleting Substances whose use is banned under this regulation except for designated critical uses. One such critical use is as a fire extinguishing agent on board aircraft.
As part of its responsibility, the EPA must annually prepare for submission to the European Commission a report on the quantities of halon installed, emitted, used and stored for critical uses within Ireland. In the past, the EPA has emailed data requests to relevant parties (Registered Owners of aircraft which contain halons, aircraft maintenance undertakings, aircraft parts suppliers and the Defence Forces) each spring to gather the data required to generate this national report. However, the EPA has just developed an application within its EDEN online platform for the submission of these returns. Beginning in 2023, all halon critical use data returns by relevant parties must be made using the EDEN online platform.
Under Regulation 7(1)(g) of the Control of Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 465 of 2011), the EPA requires that undertakings in possession of halons shall henceforth submit, between 1st January and 31st March each year, data on their use of halons for the previous calendar year using the Halon Critical Use Survey Reporting module within the EDEN platform at www.edenireland.ie. For 2023, you must submit your return for 2022 between 1st January and 31st March 2023.
If you are a new user of EDEN, you must first create an EDEN account for your organisation by undertaking a once-off registration at www.edenireland.ie. Once registered, you can then apply for access to the Halon Critical Use Survey Reporting module within EDEN. Once approved, you can then proceed to make your halon returns. Therefore, you are urged to create an EDEN account as soon as possible if you do not already have one. Once you are registered, you will receive automatic email reminders to complete the survey when it is due.
The EPA has developed guidance to assist you with EDEN registration and submission of your annual return at the following link: Halon Critical Use Survey Reporting Module in EDEN – Guidance Document (EPA, December 2022).
Please note that is an offence under Regulation 12 of the Control of Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 465 of 2011) not to submit the halon critical use survey return where required. The information gathered from the halon critical use survey will be treated confidentially. Only summary data collated from all the individual surveys will be included in the National Report for Ireland.
In summary, if you are in possession of halons, you should
• Register for an EDEN account at www.edenireland.ie if you do not already have one.
• Once registered, apply for access to the Halon Critical Use Survey Reporting module within the EDEN platform.
• Submit a return between 01/01/2023 and 31/03/2023 for your use of halons in 2022 using the Halon Critical Use Survey Reporting module within the EDEN platform.
About the Author
Mark Dwyer Mark is an airline pilot flying the Boeing 737 for a major European airline. In addition he is also a Type Rating Instructor, Type Rating Examiner and Base Training Captain on the B737. Outside of commercial flying Mark enjoys flying light aircraft from the smallest 3 Axis microlights up to heavier singles. He is also an instructor and EASA Examiner on single engines and a UK CAA Examiner. He flies the Chipmunk for the Irish Historic Flight Foundation (IHFF). Mark became the Chairman of the National Microlight Association of Ireland (NMAI) in 2013 and has overseen a massive growth in the organisation. In this role he has worked at local and national levels. In 2015, Mark won ‘Upcoming Aviation Professional Award’ at the Aviation Industry Awards sponsored by the IAA. Mark launched this website back in 2002 while always managing the website, he has also been Editor and Deputy Editor of FlyingInIreland Magazine from 2005 to 2015.
