Lessening the Environmental Impact of Your Fire Suppression System
For many years, the only concern with a fire suppression system was whether or not it worked properly. However, serious issues about climate change over the last several decades have brought on a close scrutiny of fire suppression compounds.
First, the fire extinguishing agent halon was phased out in the 1980s because of its high ozone depletion potential. Then, hydrofluorocarbon agents (HFCs), which replaced halon, were found to also cause environmental damage. Now, with there being increased scrutiny of fire suppression compounds, and in some cases regulatory bans on them, facility managers and building owners alike are finding it necessary to take a closer look at whether their fire suppression system is earth-friendly. California has already issued a mandate that all new fire suppression systems in the state must use an agent with a global warming
potential (GWP) below a minimum threshold level. It’s expected that other states will be following suit.
If you are located in California and in the market for a new fire suppression system, you will have to ensure that any system you choose will use a fire extinguishing agent that complies with the state law. This begs the question – how can you make sure that your new fire suppression system is suitably earth-friendly to meet these governmental regulations? This requires you to do several key things before you invest in a new system.
Great article from Sabah International : http://sabahinternationalinc.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wp9.pdf