Disposal of old Fire Extinguishers

[boatmike]

Simple question, what do you do with unused powder fire extinguishers? With other types discharging them renders them harmless. Powder makes such a mess.......

 

[prv]

I donated them to a Makerspace that wanted to have extinguishers near their soldering benches and 3D printer. Not a generally-applicable solution, I realise

I've heard of letting them off into a sturdy binbag. Dunno what volume the gas expands to, but it seems plausible that it might all fit. Otherwise a loose fit around the nozzle might allow the excess to escape without letting out too much powder?

Pete

 

[ex-Gladys]

Local tip were happy birthday accept mine about three years ago

 

[corbu]

I thought discharging a couple of them into a skip was rather instructive. They don't last very long!

 

[MengWalton]

Just be careful if its dry powder.... it gives you the poo's
Just discharge it into a binbag should be fine, better yet a container with a little bit of water in the bottom.
I'm quite sure tips/recycling centres will accept them

 

[johnalison]

Mine have been sitting happily in the garage for several years. One day my children will inherit them.

 

[nauticalnomad]

Set fire to something and then have an excuse to use them.. They should still work. But make sure you have in date ones just in case....

 

[l'escargot]

Local tip took mine last year, they had an area for all types of cylinders.

 

[RichardTaylor]

Having set off numerous powder extinguishers that have been well out of date (up to 30 years out of date), every one of them have worked as if they were in date.

 

[skyflyer]

why not set them off in a dustbin of water. Presumably the powder just forms a sludge that can then be more easily disposed of and the gas bubbles away?

 

[yachtorion]

Having set off numerous powder extinguishers that have been well out of date (up to 30 years out of date), every one of them have worked as if they were in date.

I had the opposite of that. 4 1980s vintage extinguishers fired a year or so ago. One worked. All had just come off boats that had recently been in use.

Firing in to a skip worked fine for the one that did work.

Another alternative is just to sell a boat and leave all the extinguishers, flares, and corroded campinggaz cylinders on board.

 

[NickRobinson]

......
Another alternative is just to sell a boat and leave all the extinguishers, flares, and corroded campinggaz cylinders on board.

is that why I have a TEP museum?
Not sure about the environmentals, but I fired a 1kg out of date powder extinguisher at sea, downwind. Quite a kick and quite a cloud! (no other vessels or coast in sight..)

 

[ghostlymoron]

Someone accidentally set one of in the gang's mess but once. It made a helluva mess!

 

[ronsurf]

I can vouch for them making a mess, and quite a noise. Did put the fire out though.

How about donating them to your local custom motorcycle builder? They come in handy, and then it's his problem what to do with the powder...

 

[Cantata]

Took my last auto (engine compartment) fire extinguisher to our local F&RS - they happily took it.