Monday, November 30, 2009

Update on Contaminated Halon Investigation in Europe

According to the EASA and the Emergency Airworthiness Directive it appears that the Contaminated Halon is becoming a very serious issue in Europe. Below is the article from the EASA that describes the reasons and actions for correcting this Contaminated Halon in Europe. The Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom was the first to alert the proper authorities and companies about this safety issue.

EASA AD No.: 2009-0251-E
EASA Form 111 Page 1/3
EASA EMERGENCY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
AD No.: 2009-0251-E
Date: 25 November 2009

Note: This Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Community, its Member States and of the European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 66 of that Regulation. This AD is issued in accordance with EC 1702/2003, Part 21A.3B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by accomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may operate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Agency [EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, Article 14(4) exemption].

Type Approval Holder’s Name : Fire Fighting Enterprises Limited
Type/Model designation(s) : Portable Halon 1211 Fire Extinguishers
Approval Number : Various National approvals.
Foreign AD : Not applicable
Supersedure : None
ATA 26 Fire Protection – Portable Fire Extinguishers – Identification / Replacement
Manufacturer(s): Fire Fighting Enterprises Limited

Applicability:
Portable Halon 1211 (BCF) fire extinguishers, identified by Finished Goods (FG)
number and serial number (s/n) in Appendix 1 of this AD. These fire extinguishers are known to be installed (or carried/stowed on board) on, but not limited to, Airbus, Alenia, Boeing, Embraer, Fokker and SAAB transport aeroplanes, Pilatus, Hawker Beechcraft (formerly Raytheon) and
Vulcanair (formerly Partenavia) general aviation aeroplanes and Agusta and
Eurocopter helicopters.

Reason:
The Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom (UK) has informed EASA that significant quantities of Halon 1211 gas, determined to be outside the required specification, have been supplied to the aviation industry for use in fire extinguishing equipment. Halon 1211 (BCF) is used in handheld fire extinguishers, usually fitted or stowed in aircraft cabins. EASA published Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2009-39 on 23 October 2009 to make the aviation community aware of this safety concern. The results of the ongoing investigation now show that LyonTech Engineering Ltd, a UK-based company, has supplied a quantity of heavily contaminated Halon
1211 (BCF) to Fire Fighting Enterprises (FFE). This Halon 1211 has subsequently been used to fill certain FFE portable fire extinguishers that are now likely to be installed in or carried on board aircraft. The contaminated nature of this gas, when used against a fire, may lead to
release of toxic fumes, possibly causing injury to aircraft occupants. EASA AD No.: 2009-0251-E
EASA Form 111 Page 2/3 For the reason described above, this EASA AD requires the identification and removal from service of all affected fire extinguishers and replacement with
serviceable units.

Effective Date: 26 November 2009

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s):
Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:
(1) Within two (2) days after the effective date of this AD, identify the FG number and s/n of the portable fire extinguisher(s) installed or carried on board the aircraft.
(2) If any portable fire extinguisher identified as required by paragraph (1) of this AD is listed in Appendix 1 of this AD, before next flight, remove it from the aircraft and replace it with a serviceable unit.
(3) From the effective date of this AD, do not install any portable fire extinguisher as identified in Appendix 1 of this AD on any aircraft, unless it has been serviced with Halon 1211 that has been verified to conform to the correct specification.

Ref. Publications: None

Remarks :
1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative
Methods of Compliance for this EAD.
2. The safety assessment has requested not to implement the full consultation
process and an immediate publication and notification.
3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Airworthiness
Directives, Safety Management & Research Section, Certification Directorate,
EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu.
4. For any question concerning the technical content of the requirements in this
AD, please contact: Fire Fighting Enterprises Ltd, 9 Hunting Gate, Hitchin,
Hertfordshire SG4 0TJ, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0) 845 402 4242
E-mail: sales@ffeuk.com, Website: http://www.ffeuk.com/

For a hard copy of this article visit: http://ad.easa.europa.eu/blob/easa_ad_2009_0251E.pdf/EAD_2009-0251-E_1

Feel free to contact RemTec if you have any other questions or concerns: http://www.remtec.net/
1-800-372-1301

KROY CORPORATION AND JAMES GARRIDO PLEAD GUILTY TO ILLEGAL SMUGGLING OF OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCE

The article below is from The United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Florida
November 23, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Maureen O’Mara, Special Agent in Charge, Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Atlanta Area Office, and Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations, announced that defendants James Garrido, 44, of Miami, and Kroy Corporation, a Florida corporation with its principal place of business in Miami, pled guilty on Friday, November 20, 2009, in federal District Court in Miami to charges related to their illegal smuggling into the United States of restricted ozone-depleting substances contrary to the Clean Air Act, Title 42, United States Code, Sections7413(c)(1) and 7671d, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 545.

More specifically, James Garrido and Kroy Corporation each pled guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Patricia A. Seitz to a three count Information, charging them with knowingly importing approximately 418,654 kilograms of illegal hydrochlorofluorocarbon - 22 (“HCFC-22"), in violation of the provisions of the Clean Air Act. Defendant Garrido faces a possible statutory maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of $250,000 on each count. The statutory maximum fine for Kroy Corporation is $500,000 per count. Garrido also faces a term of supervised release of three years per count of conviction, while Kroy Corporation may be placed on probation for up to five years per count. In addition, the defendants could be ordered to forfeit the illegal proceeds of their conduct. Sentencing has been scheduled for February 11, 2010 at 8:30 a.m., before Judge Seitz.

The Federal Clean Air Act regulates air pollutants, including ozone-depleting substances such as HCFC-22. HCFC-22 is a widely used refrigerant for residential heat pump and air-conditioning systems. The Clean Air Act and its implementing regulations established a schedule to phase out the production and importation of ozone depleting substances beginning in 2002, with a complete ban starting in 2030. To meet its obligations under International Treaty to reduce its consumption of the ozone-depleting substances, the United States issued baseline allowances for the production and importation of HCFC-22 to individuals and companies. In order to legally import HCFC-22, one must hold an unexpended consumption allowance.

According to court records, Kroy, a corporation formed in February 2007, was in the business of importing merchandise, including refrigerant. James Garrido is Kroy’s President. Between March 2007 and April 2009, Kroy and Garrido engaged in the illegal smuggling of large quantities of HCFC-22 into the United States for subsequent resale. The defendants would routinely declare imported merchandise as either legal R-134A refrigerant or as “United States Goods Returned.” In truth, except for a small quantity of legal refrigerant strategically placed in front of the contraband, the shipments contained HCFC-22 and were accompanied by false documentation. At no time did Kroy or Garrido hold unexpended consumption allowances that would have allowed them to legally import the HCFC-22.

In all, from 2007 to April 2009, Kroy and Garrido illegally imported approximately 1418,654 kilograms of restricted HCFC-22 in eleven separate shipments, with a total fair market value of more than $3.9 million.

Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey H. Sloman stated, “The ozone layer provides crucial protection to all life on earth, and it must be preserved. The defendants jeopardized the global effort to restore and protect the ozone for their own financial benefit. Such conduct is short-sighted and inexcusable.”

EPA Special Agent in Charge Maureen O’Mara said, “HCFCs deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects people from such harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation as skin cancer. These guilty pleas sends a strong message that those who place the public at risk in order to make illegal profits will be vigorously prosecuted.”

“The unlawful importation of goods pose a triple threat to the national security, public safety and economic well-being of the United States,” said Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Miami. “This case demonstrates ICE’s partnership and aggressive approach with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and EPA to protect the American public from inferior and unsafe products that illegally enter the United States and combat those who exploit our commerce system and compromise the safety of our citizens.”

Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of the Special Agents and officers of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ICE’s Office of Investigations in Miami, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Criminal Investigation Bureau, and the Miami-Dade Police Department, Environmental Investigation Unit. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jodi A. Mazer.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

Technical comments about this website can be e-mailed to the Webmaster. PLEASE NOTE: The United States Attorney's Office does not respond to non-technical inquiries made to this website. If you wish to make a request for information, you may contact our office at 305-961-9001, or you may send a written inquiry to the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, 99 NE 4th Street, Miami, Fl. 33132.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Due to the Holiday our offices will be closed Wednesday at 3:30 and will reopen Monday morning.

In the even you need a recharge or any other emergency services email terri.aufrance@remtec.net or sandy.hoffman@remtec.net. We will be monitoring our emails as well as answering our personal phones.

Remember we will always be available for your emergency Halon and Halon Alternative needs!

Call us on Monday to sell Halon!! WE BUY HALON 1301 & Halon 1211!

www.remtec.net

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

RemTec's Green Team

Not only do they help protect the environment but also put green in your pocket!
If you want to sell Halon that is used or unwanted, give RemTec a call and our Green Team will help you. They are also extremely helpful when you want to buy Halon. RemTec provides Quick Quotes. This gets the quote you requested within the hour and usually this is within minutes of your request.

RemTec buys used and unwanted Halon 1301 and Halon 1211. They do all the shipping paperwork and take care of all freight costs.

RemTec also recharges Halon 1301, HFC-227ea, HFC-125, HFC-236fa and Novec 1230.

Contact RemTec's Green Team for assistance on all Halon and Halon Alternatives needs or questions.








Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Alternative Agents & Halon Happenings

RemTec is the solution to your Halon and Alternative Agent needs

RemTec has decided to create this blog as another avenue for our customers to contact us and ask questions while being informed on current issues regarding Halons and Alternative Agents.

We buy used Halon 1301 & Halon 1211. RemTec takes care of all process and shipping paperwork and covers all freight costs.

RemTec has a 24 hour recharge service for Halon 1301, HFC-227ea, HFC-125 and Novec 1230.

Tank refurbishment and testing are also available.

See our website for more details on these services and products:
http://www.remtec.net/

Check back weekly for Halon Happenings in your industry and feel free to leave a comment below!