Fire Extinguisher Disposal For Businesses

Old and redundant fire extinguishers are full of pressurised chemicals, and they can be a potential threat to persons, buildings and the environment. You must dispose of them correctly and ethically.

Do not put old / unwanted fire extinguishers in domestic or commercial waste bins.

We cannot accept old or unwanted fire extinguishers for disposal.

Business owners have legal duty of care to dispose of any commercial waste properly, so only use a company that complies with The Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), has a license to carry controlled waste, and has facilities to deal with pressurised containers.

If you have a fire extinguisher maintenance agreement, the company providing this may offer an exchange and disposal service or they may charge an additional fee.

There are different types of fire extinguishers available which contain chemicals that are specifically designed to put out various types of fires. 

The contents of some fire extinguishers can be toxic to the environment, so they have to be removed from the extinguisher and disposed of in the correct manner.

• Powder – this type requires specialist disposal.
• Foam – this type can be dispensed into a sewer drain (not rainwater drain).
• CO₂ – this type can be dispersed into the air.
• Water – this type can be dispensed into a drain.
• Halon Fire Extinguishers – Dispose of these as soon as possible.  Halon fire extinguishers are now illegal to either possess or to use (except for aviation and military use), and you are required to take any existing halon fire extinguishers to your local authority recycling centre for safe disposal or arrange for their disposal by a licensed waste carrier.

Always follow the safety instructions printed on the cannister when discharging the contents of a fire extinguisher.