We recycle fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are designed to last. And while proper care, annual servicing, and regular maintenance ensures units perform compliantly in the event of a fire, all fire extinguishers eventually need replacing or recycling.
We understand that the safe disposal of fire extinguishers isn’t a simple process. The correct handling, storing, emptying, disposing, and recycling units is a complex operation, with different types of fire extinguisher all requiring different procedures. For whatever reason fire extinguishers reach the end of life, all can be successfully recycled.
We recycle more than 11,500 fire extinguishers per month. Each element of a unit is recycled and used. Find out more about our fire extinguishers scrap and recycling service below.
Charged fire extinguishers should never simply be thrown in the bin. Not only is it more responsible to recycle, doing so comes with a multitude of benefits.
PROTECTION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Fire extinguishers are pressurised containers that are potentially dangerous when crushed. Recycling fire extinguishers helps keep the planet safer, helping to reduce carbon emissions, reducing global warming, and pollution. This is crucial for protecting ecosystems and wildlife, which can be harmed by chemicals inside units being disposed into open drains or waterways.
PROTECTION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
As well as an environmental hazard, improperly disposing of fire extinguishers (particularly in an enclosed space) can put an individual’s health at risk, as well as people closeby. For example, CO2 fire extinguishers are extremely cold when dispensed, while powder units can cause mild eye irritation. Disposal should be handled by a professional facility, such as CheckFire.
PROTECTION FOR THE ORGANISATION
As fire extinguishers get older, the cost of maintaining and repairing them can increase costs and chances of not being legally compliant. With low-cost fire extinguishers for trade customers, buying a new high-performance unit and recycling an old one can make more financial sense.
PEACE OF MIND & SAVES TIME
Knowing how to dispose of fire extinguishers safely can be puzzling. And with such careful measures that need to be taken, and it’s a lot easier to let a professional handle it. Our approved recycling centre will ensure total compliance to strict regulations, while giving peace of mind that no damage is done to the planet.
Start recycling with CheckFire
As well as our premium-quality fire protection products from market-leading brands, we’re delighted to be able to support our trade customers with our fire extinguisher scrap and recycling service. You can find the CheckFire Recycling Centre just down the road from our Head Office in Caerphilly:
CheckFire Ltd – Recycling Facility Unit 10B, 37 Sir Alfred Owen Way Pontygwindy Industrial Estate Caerphilly CF83 3TH
Types of fire extinguishers we collect
Most standard fire extinguishers can be safely recycled, especially if they have a steel body. We take all kinds of fire extinguishers to recycle, including:
If a fire extinguisher is deemed unusable, obsolete or beyond repair during a fire risk assessment, follow these three simple steps to start recycling with us. For more information, contact us to learn more.
There is the option to either arrange a collection of your scrap using our courier service or, should you be local, you can drop-off to our Recycling Centre. Please contact the Customer Care Team who would be more than happy to help with booking you in.
To ensure safety at all times, we ask for your support in adhering to a short list of measures when using our recycling service, of which you will find here.
All scrap fire extinguishers are then worked through our Recycling Centre where a Waste Transfer Note (WTN) is created for customer records. Materials are then collected by our fully licensed scrap-shredder partner for their onward journey.
Eco-friendly fire extinguishers
The UK government regularly updates schemes and targets for carbon-saving measures. As a result, more businesses are employing sustainability strategies in day-to-day practices. Fire safety provision isn’t something that can be compromised, but many of our high-performance units help meet environmental objectives and strengthen eco credentials. CommanderEDGE 6ltr Water Mist contains zero additives for a strong, eco-friendly fire fighting solution. Meanwhile, our CommanderEDGE EnviroFoam has a low fluorine content to ensure foam is less harmful to the planet than regular foams.
If you’re in the trade and want to learn more about how to become a CheckFire customer, visit our dedicated Trade Customer page for more information.