Proper Fire Alarm Disposal and replacements

1/18/2022 (Permalink)

Why you need to dispose of your fire alarms the right way-

Smoke detectors using an ionization chamber contain small amounts of radiation that are safe in your home, but when they are thrown away can cause harm to the environment. Smoke detectors that are not properly discarded and are thrown into the trash or burned will release their radioactive material into the environment, making proper disposal is very important. 

When to replace them and how- 

The average life expectancy of an ionization smoke detector is 10 years, after this the sensors begin to lose their sensitivity. If you check the back, you can find the manufacturing date of your smoke detector. Once you have checked the back, you can replace the smoke alarm with a new one if you find that it is more than 10 years old or the test button does not work.

You can return your old or unneeded smoke detector to the original manufacturer for disposal as hazardous waste, or if you have a recycling center near you in Staten Island that handles these materials, bring them there. The brand name and/or address can be found on the back of the device, online or in the user’s manual. After removing the battery and recycling those properly, return the entire unit intact with a note indicating that the device is intended for disposal. Detectors should be mailed by ground mail so they are not on an airplane.