Hand fire extinguishers may contain environmentally hazardous substances.
Fire extinguishers
Handheld fire extinguishers may contain environmentally hazardous substances that must not be spread into the environment unnecessarily. Fire extinguishers are considered hazardous waste and are disposed of in different ways in different municipalities. Contact your municipality to find out what applies where you live.
For example, handheld fire extinguishers can contain highly fluorinated substances, so-called PFAS, which remain in the environment for a very long time. Therefore, old, obsolete fire extinguishers need to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. Contact your municipality to find out how to dispose of obsolete fire extinguishers where you live.
There are many different types of fire extinguishers. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has more information about the right type of fire extinguisher for different purposes.
