Fire extinguishers are pressurised vessels and are classified as hazardous waste so they need to be disposed of carefully
Fire extinguishers are pressurised vessels and are classified as hazardous waste so they need to be disposed of carefully.
This means that they should never be mixed with general waste or domestic waste, burnt, or punctured as this could lead to an explosion and serious injury.
They should always be disposed of responsibly through the appropriate waste routes.
If you are a member of the public:
- Firstly, you should check the local disposal arrangements with your council, with most offering disposal of extinguishers at larger household waste and recycling centres.
- For safety reasons, local authorities usually ask for the handles to be securely taped together or the safety pin to be in place.
- CO2 types should have the swivel horn in place.
- Larger extinguishers (over 2kg/2 litre) might be considered commercial waste and may not be accepted.
- In this instance, you should contact a local fire extinguisher maintenance company to discuss collection and disposal for which there will likely be a charge.
- The BAFE Fire Safety Register is one place to check for local companies that are registered for the BAFE Fire Extinguisher Scheme, which should be able to offer a collection and disposal service.
If you are a business:
- In the first instance, you should contact the fire extinguisher maintenance company that is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of your fire extinguishers on site.
- This will ensure that your extinguishers are disposed of through a specialist route which may recondition units or alternatively separate the components for recycling.
- It is advisable to be aware of your responsibilities under current legislation, which makes the organisation creating the waste responsible for its ultimate disposal, and always check waste carrier licenses and ensure waste transfer notes are received and retained.
- The BAFE Fire Safety Register is one place to check for local companies that are registered for the BAFE Fire Extinguisher Scheme, which should be able to offer a collection and disposal service.
Recycling:
Fire extinguishers are important life safety products and it is essential that they can be relied on to function correctly when they are needed.
There are some specialist providers of fire extinguisher reconditioning but it is advisable to be aware of the rigorous safety laws relating to pressurised vessels, should you consider this option.
Alternatively, there are many components of a fire extinguisher that can be responsibly recycled and fire extinguisher maintenance companies will have necessary arrangements in place to ensure this is done wherever possible.