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How to recycle lighters

By Our Lovely Earth
Page last updated: 06/20/2022 | Next review date: 06/20/2024
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Our Lovely Earth
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In this article, we discuss whether lighters can be recycled, and how to do it. Then we looked at their environmental impact and whether there was a better option. Lastly, we also discuss what to do with a lighter when recycling is not a viable option.

Since we first learnt that the first human being found fire, we’ve seen how to start a fire. It all started with slamming two stones together to create a spark on some dry leaves. 

Then it progressed over time. With a match or a lighter, we can now start a fire.

While both a matchstick and a lighter may be used to ignite a fire, it appears that the lighter is the preferred method. The rationale behind this isn’t implausible. Matchsticks are less safe to use and do not last as long as lighters.

You have to wonder where all the used lighters go these days, given how many used lighters. As someone concerned about the environment, the subject of whether lighters are recyclable comes to mind.

How to recycle lighters?

  • In some places, lighters are accepted by the majority of curbside recycling programs. 
  • If that is not available, you can check for places that handle hazardous wastes.

Can You Recycle Lighters?

Many common home products are recyclable, however lighters appear to be excluded. The rationale behind this isn’t implausible. 

Lighters are made out of a variety of products and materials. Plastic and metal materials, for example, can be found in a conventional lighter.

As a result, recycling lighters would be problematic due to the inability of separating the components. Many recycling facilities around the country have said that lighters should not be recycled. 

Despite the fact that lighters are a typical home item, recycling centres recommend that you should not place them in your recycling bin.

Furthermore, practically all lighters are made of materials that are unsuitable for recycling. As a result, lighters are not considered recyclable by recyclers.

Putting lighters in your recycle container is a waste of time that causes further complications for recycling providers. There are a few additional options for getting rid of your old lighters. 

You may also perform a variety of things with your lighters. We’ll go over several of these points in greater detail later in this essay.

Are lighters bad for the environment?

This appears to be the next inquiry following learning that lighters are not recyclable. You begin to question if lighters, being disposable, are in any way harmful to the environment. Let’s have a look at this.

First and foremost, lighters are one-time use materials. This implies that once the gas has been used up, you almost have nothing to do with the empty lighter. The message is that if you can’t refill them, you should toss them away.

What happens to them once you toss them away? Unlike matches, which are made of wood, lighters are made of a variety of materials, including plastic and metal. 

The metal components of the lighter may biodegrade over time, but the plastic component is not.

Biodegradation of plastic materials takes hundreds of years. They do not entirely depart the earth’s surface even after they have broken down. 

Instead, they degrade into microplastics, which mix with the soil and persist for years. When you throw your lighters in the trash, they only wind up in one place. 

And that’s just at the local dumps. They do not degrade due to their plastic ingredients. They stay there for quite some time.

When it rains, the water may wash them away to other locations. They may, for example, end up in the sea. Different aquatic creatures can eat them here. Worse, aquatic creatures may perish as a result of ingesting these hazardous compounds.

Apart from that, they pollute the environment when they wind up in the sea or other bodies of water. This means that the water and the nearby environment are becoming increasingly hazardous to all of us.

Another thing to think about is how these lighters are made. Many greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere throughout the manufacturing process. 

It contributes to the ozone layer’s depletion, which results in catastrophic climate change.

Furthermore, the lighters’ packaging materials are an environmental problem. Plastic is used in a lot of packaging. Again, this is bad for the environment since plastics take years to disintegrate.

How to dispose of lighters

There are some ways one can use in order to safely dispose of their lighter. Some of these are:

  • Toss your lighter in the garbage if it’s required by law where you live.
  • Empty your lighter by burning off the excess fuel.
  • Put your lighter in your garbage can and wait for it to be collected.
  • Bring your lighter to a household hazardous waste site if required.
  • Look online to find the location of a hazardous waste site in your area.
  • Take your lighter to the disposal site and drop it off.

We shall discuss these in more detail.

Toss your lighter in the garbage if it’s required by law where you live.

Look for your city’s sanitation or waste management department’s phone number. Call them and inquire about the laws governing the disposal of lighters in your region.

Because lighters cannot be recycled, they are required to be thrown out by legislation in many towns and states. If this is the case in your area, you will have no choice except to discard the lighter.

Lighters contaminate recyclable items even after they’ve been emptied. A recycling facility will be unable to safely treat the metal or plastic owing to the gas residual. 

Furthermore, if the gas contaminates other things, they will not be recycled. You might be able to discover this information on the website of your local government, although many states do not provide information about lighter disposal online.

This procedure is applicable to both disposable and refillable lighters. It makes no difference whether your lighter is powered by butane or lighter fluid.

Empty your lighter by burning off the excess fuel.


Do this in a safe location outside, at least 4 feet (1.2 m) away from any combustible items. Turn on your lighter and wait for the flame to die out. 

This might take anything from 2 seconds to 10 minutes, depending on how much gasoline is left in the lighter. If you’re throwing away your lighter because it’s empty, though, this shouldn’t take long.

Pouring lighter fluid or butane down the drain is not a good idea. Even if the gasoline or butane is physically accessible, the gas will corrode septic tanks and sewage pipes. 

Even after the gas is purified at a water treatment facility, it may harm the environment. After you’ve finished burning the gasoline off, you should handle the lighter with care. 

After the flame has gone out, if your lighter was on for more than 5 seconds, it will be hot to the touch. After the lighter has burned out, wait 2-3 minutes before touching it.

Put your lighter in your garbage can and wait for it to be collected.

Simply put your lighter in the garbage after it is empty. To dispose of your lighter, wait for your garbage to be collected by your local waste management agency.

Bring your lighter to a household hazardous waste site if required.


Throwing a lighter in the garbage is unlawful in several cities and states. Find out if you may take your lighter to a domestic hazardous waste site by contacting your local sanitation or waste management agency. 

If you can, this is the best way to get rid of a lighter because the gas won’t interfere with other things being handled at the dump.

A home hazardous waste site (HHW) is a dedicated waste facility that disposes of goods one at a time to guarantee that local laws and safety requirements are followed. 

Items are usually burnt or destroyed at these locations, but it’s still safer than putting your lighter in the garbage.

Look online to find the location of a hazardous waste site in your area.

Either check up the address for the hazardous waste site on your local government’s website or search online for the garbage facility closest to you.

Some cities and states provide a search engine on their websites to help residents locate a suitable disposal location.

Take your lighter to the disposal site and drop it off.

Bring your lighter to the domestic hazardous trash facility and hand it over to the employee behind the counter. They’ll hand the lighter on to the appropriate department, who will properly dispose of it. This service is always provided free of charge.

If at all feasible, wait until you’ve gathered a large number of dead lighters to avoid making several trips to the landfill over the following few years.

Conclusion

Many individuals use lighters as one of their everyday goods. You don’t have to wait for it to become garbage before interacting with it as a user. 

It’s difficult to recycle a lighter because it’s a multi-component device. You can, however, dispose of the lighter in a safe manner, or simply toss it in the garbage if it is permitted.

FAQs

Can we repurpose lighters?

You can absolutely repurpose a used lighter in the following ways:

  • Secret case
    In public, there are some things you might wish to keep to yourself. These items might include letters, money, and so forth. You may make a concealed case out of an old lighter to take your goods about in.

    It’s easy to accomplish this. Obtain an old, non-transparent lighter. To obtain access to the interior, remove the top. Next, you should wash the interior and let it dry. You can then put whatever you want to keep secret in the lighter.

    After this, cover it back and go wherever you want to go. The highlight is that no one would suspect that what you have is not a lighter but a secret safe.
  • Bottle opener
    Who says lighters can’t be used to open bottles? All you have to do is acquire a metal lighter and insert the bottom underneath the bottle top right away.

    To open the bottle, press your thumb on the bottle top and raise the lighter. This is a simple task, but mastering it may take some time.
  • Earrings
    If you’re a fashionista, you might want to turn your lighter into stylish jewellery. You’ll need to use your imagination for this. All you’ll need is a tiny lighter. They would not be as heavy on your ear as a result of this. To attach the earring string to the small-sized lighter, you’ll also need the earring string.
  • Decoration
    If you’re planning an event, you may utilise your lighters as décor. It’s easy to accomplish this. Decorate the lighters using spray paints. To suspend the lighters in the air, you’ll need some strings.

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