There is an expanding need for fire protection of vital communications and electronic equipment as well as property and occupied spaces, including both commercial and military applications. When production of halons was banned in the early 1990's because of their high ozone depletion potential, several replacement products were rushed to the market in order to fill a void.

Concerns continue, however, about the toxicity, regulatory restrictions, and impact on the environment of these "first generation" halon replacements. Specifically, most of them are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that have high global warming potentials. 3M's Performance Materials Division recognized that, as global climate change policy continues to develop, there would be a significant market opportunity for a sustainable halon alternative.

In fire protection, a "sustainable" technology can be defined as one that extinguishes fires effectively; is economical to install and maintain; and perhaps most important in today's business climate, offers a favorable EHS profile - allowing it to be used both today and in the foreseeable future with little or no regulatory restriction. Because fire protection systems are typically built into an infrastructure intended to last for years, there should certainly be a monetary value placed on the choice of a sustainable technology.

Several years ago, 3M embarked on an extensive research program that investigated hundreds of compounds to evaluate their potential as halon replacements. This effort began as a small-scale project championed by the Division's Lab Manager but quickly escalated into a major initiative. The team, comprising several disciplines including laboratory, environmental, and marketing, was assigned the challenge of determining the "best of the best" from the compounds that made the final list.

The team used 3M's Life Cycle Management (LCM) process as one of its key tools in selecting a halon replacement. LCM is a formal part of 3M's new product development process worldwide. The halon-HFC replacement team, like all cross-functional, new product development teams, used LCM to systematically and holistically address the EHS opportunities and issues at each stage of the potential halon replacement's life - development and manufacturing, distribution and customer use, and disposal.

The result of 3M's ongoing efforts was the development of Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid. This new technology platform, based on fluorinated ketones, is superior in both extinguishing efficiency and safety. It provides a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over HFCs, with a Global Warming Potential of 1 (one), the lowest for any halocarbon alternative to halon. It also has an atmospheric lifetime of 5 days, compared to years, decades or even centuries for other halocarbon alternatives. In addition, it is low in acute toxicity and provides a significant margin of safety at design concentrations, making it ideal for use in occupied spaces. Unlike most halon replacements, it is a liquid at room temperature, so that handling and charging of fire protection systems is easier. Novec™ 1230 Fluid is marketed by 3M Electronic Markets Materials Division.

Before introducing into the marketplace, 3M met with representatives of the U.S. EPA to demonstrate the product and explain it benefits over first generation halon replacements. This meeting helped to increase EPA's comfort with the new product and develop additional champions. Although it was introduced only recently, the product has already been qualified for use by several major fire protection equipment manufacturers. A major manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, the Roche Group, has used Novec™ 1230 as a replacement fire protection agent in its efforts to both eliminate ozone depleting substances and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. As greenhouse gas emissions and HFC specific regulations are developed in the European Union and elsewhere, it is expected that Novec™ 1230 will become a cornerstone in fire protection system