Fireworks (including sparklers) must not be disposed of in your general waste at home and you cannot take them to Recycling Centres.
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What you must do
- As the holder of a firework, you have a duty of care to ensure its safe disposal.
- Never try to dispose of a firework on a fire.
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Disposal of spent fireworks
- Soak it - Collect spent fireworks and soak them in water overnight to ensure they are completely extinguished and can’t reignite.
- Bag it - Place the soaked fireworks in a plastic bag.
- Bin it - Put the bagged fireworks in your general waste bin. Never place fireworks or sparklers in your recycling bin.
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Disposal of unused fireworks
- Follow advice from the Chief Fire Officer’s Association: ‘If you have unused fireworks, the safest way to dispose of them is to set them off in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, follow the guidelines for disposing of spent fireworks.’
- Out-of-date or damaged fireworks can be extremely dangerous. Submerge the firework in a bucket of water for at least 48 hours. You don’t want it to dry out as it might become more dangerous.
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Disposal of sparklers
- Place the hot end down into a bucket of sand or water to fully cool them. Soak them overnight, then bag them and put them in your rubbish bin.
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You could also...
- try contacting the place you bought the fireworks from - they may operate a 'take back' scheme.
- contact the manufacturer for advice about safe disposal - their details should be on the box.
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Further information
- Never try to relight a firework that doesn’t go off. Always soak it in water overnight to prevent it from igniting unexpectedly.
- Sparklers are not recyclable due to the coating of fuels and oxidisers on the metal.