How to recycle fire extinguishers

Regular fire extinguisher maintenance is a duty every responsible person should carry out by law. But for many reasons, there comes a time when a fire extinguisher reaches its end of life. When that happens, it’s vital that it’s disposed of in a safe and proper manner. But are fire extinguishers recyclable?

The answer is yes. And here, we outline exactly how to recycle fire extinguishers, with the simplest, most effective methods that are safest for people and the planet.

Can fire extinguishers be recycled? 

Not only is it possible to recycle fire extinguishers, it’s more responsible. To make safe disposal of fire extinguishers simpler, it’s best left to professionals – those trained in the correct handling, storing, emptying, disposing, and recycling of units.

Why recycle fire extinguishers? 

First of all, it’s dangerous to throw charged fire extinguishers in the bin. But as well as being safer, fire extinguisher recycling has lots of benefits:

• Recycling fire extinguishers is better for the environment

Crushing pressurised containers is not good for the planet. Chemicals inside fire extinguishers can leak into waterways and harm wildlife and ecosystems. Knowing how to recycle fire extinguishers properly helps protect the planet from more carbon emissions, global warming, and pollution.

• Recycling fire extinguishers is safer for human health

Unless they’re empty, fire extinguishers are classified as hazardous waste. Disposing of this can put an individual’s health at risk, as well as people close by, especially if done in an enclosed space. The extreme coldness of CO2 fire extinguishers when dispensed can be unsafe, while dry powder units can cause mild eye irritation and breathing difficulties (if inhaled in an enclosed space).

• Recycling fire extinguishers is better for business

As the years go by and fire extinguishers get older, the cost of maintaining and repairing them can increase costs. Investing in a new high-performance unit and recycling an old one can make more financial sense, especially with high-quality fire extinguishers for CheckFire trade customers. It can also protect businesses from heavy penalties incurred by failing to comply with British Standards.

How to recycle fire extinguishers with CheckFire  

We recycle more than 11,500 fire extinguishers per month. Each element of a unit is recycled and used again in various ways, across a range of industries. This will ensure total safety and compliance, while giving peace of mind that no damage is done to the environment. We do this in three simple steps:

1. Collecting and unloading

   It’s easy to arrange for us to collect fire extinguishers, or those local to our CheckFire Ltd site in Caerphilly can drop units with us in person. Vehicles are unloaded safely, ensuring engines are off and units have suitable safety pins before handling or moving. To ensure safety at all times, we ask for your support in adhering to a short list of measures when using our recycling service.

2. Processing and sorting
   

   Our Customer Care Team will process requests and prepare for sorting according to the type of fire extinguisher. Any unit identified as potentially unsafe for normal discharge is to be moved to a quarantine area for further examination.

3. Dismantling and recycling

   Once authorised, unit dismantling begins, including the removal of safety pins, seals, handles, and valves. Everything from steel to brass to plastic is placed in the material’s corresponding collection tanks, then passed to specialist processors for recycling.

Can you recycle fire extinguishers for money? 

If a fire extinguisher is deemed unusable, obsolete or beyond repair during a fire risk assessment, there isn’t much that can be done with its parts, other than recycling them. While local scrap metal centres may take fire extinguishers for disposal, the costs associated with emptying and dismantling units mean money is unlikely to be exchanged.

During fire extinguisher maintenance, many service engineers will offer to take away any expired fire extinguishers. Engineers can then send these fire extinguishers to CheckFire for safe processing and recycling.

Types of fire extinguishers we recycle 

Different types of fire extinguisher all require different methods of recycling, but they can all be recycled. Most standard fire extinguishers can be safely recycled, especially if they have a steel body. At CheckFire, we recycle fire extinguishers of all kinds, including:

• Water fire extinguishers
• Foam fire extinguishers
• Powder fire extinguishers
• Wet Chemical fire extinguishers

We also recycle CO2 fire extinguishers, but these go through a slightly different process. With these units, we refurbish, test, then send them back to our customers for re-use.

Find out more about our fire extinguisher recycling service, as well as need-to-know information on fire extinguisher legislations. Alternatively, visit our resource centre or sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date on fire safety regulations.