The ozone layer in the stratosphere can absorb majority of harmful ultraviolet rays and protect the earth’s organisms from harm. However, some man-made chemicals used extensively by human beings have seriously damaged the ozone layer, resulting in a large number of harmful ultraviolet rays directed at the earth, causing serious damage to the earth’s biological and ecological environment. These ozone-depleting chemicals are collectively referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS) by the scientific community. In order to protect the ozone layer and phase out ODS, the “Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer” (hereinafter referred to as the Convention) and the “Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer” (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol) were signed by the international community in 1985 and 1987 respectively. China acceded to the Convention and the Protocol in 1989 and 1991, respectively.

In accordance with the provisions of the Protocol, China’s fire-fighting sector needs to phase out Annex A, Group II Halon 1211 and Halon 1301. On 12th January 1993, Chinese Government approved the implementation of the “National Programme for the Phase-out of Ozone-depleting Substances in China “(hereinafter referred to as the National Programme) and, with the support of the Multilateral Fund, the ODS phase-out action began.

In order to ensure the progress of Halon elimination in the sector, China has carried out a lot of work in the early stage of halon elimination. Under the unified planning of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the Fire Department held many exchanging meeting, did sufficient propaganda work, conducted a thorough investigation of the whole sector, conducted a series of seminars, studied the development strategy of alternatives, and organized many important activities such as Halon Elimination Strategy.

From 1993 to 1997, China implemented a series of Halon elimination projects with a total amount of 4.657 million US dollars, which played a certain role in the elimination of halons. However, the elimination methods of single projects have limitations as China’s complex and diversified sectors and rapid economic growth. At the “International Symposium on Sector Strategy of China’s ODS Elimination” held in Xi’an in June 1995, the concept of sector overall phase-out was first proposed. At the 17th Executive Committee meeting, the Executive Committee approved the project preparation fee of “further development of sector mechanism by the World Bank (hereinafter referred to as WB)”. WB applies for funds on behalf of the Chinese government for the development of sector-based elimination methods. The consumption of Halon 1211 and halon 1301 in China’s fire-fighting sector accounts for more than one third of the national ODS consumption, and the ODP value of Halon is larger. Therefore, the elimination of halons in fire-fighting sector is of great significance to the effective implementation of the National Program. The fire sector was chosen as a pilot for the overall elimination of the other sectors, and firefighting become the first sector in China that achieved overall phase-out.