Smoke detectors, which contain toxins, need to be recycled properly and handled carefully.
Pop quiz: What can be found in every home, has the sole duty of protecting a structure’s occupants and is radioactive all the while?
It may sound like a cruel joke, but this is actually the case with the one of our home’s most standard features: the smoke detector. That’s right, the oft-forgotten-except-when-needing-new-batteries smoke alarm is, in fact, radioactive.
eHow.com informs us, “According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 80 percent of all household smoke detectors in the United States contain a radioactive element, americium-241, with a half life of 432 years.” Feel free to impress your friends with this factoid at your next dinner party. Needless to say, this tidbit of info might make the proper disposal (read: recycling) of an old smoke alarm somewhat tricky.
This, of course, brings a whole host of reactions, “WHAT?!” being the most common, no doubt. But don’t fret; the amount of radioactive material contained within a given device is miniscule.
The same website offers encouraging info in regard to someone’s chances of being negatively affected by their life-saving disc: “Despite the radioactive properties within smoke detectors, americium-241 only releases alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can be blocked by millimeters of plastic casing, providing ample shielding for humans.”
When dealing with smoke detectors, keep in mind that the manufacturer has the facilities to handle and construct the devices. Ergo, they should be the ones responsible for correctly recycling them, right?
So, where exactly does one send an obsolete or unwanted smoke detector?
This webpage claims, “The vast majority of smoke detectors are made by First Alert Corporation.” In any case, consult the packaging material upon purchasing smoke detectors for disposal information. This is where companies are earning major points in the “green” department by offering proactive, eco-friendly information in regard to their products.
Perhaps you can find an exemplary smoke detector producer taking the initiative on sustainable product recovery. It seems that there is a lack of general knowledge on proper smoke detector disposal out there, so a little homework might be required to find the greenest option.
If the manufacturer takeback requirements are overly complicated, a local household hazardous waste provider may also be able to help out in an environmentally sensitive manner. You might want to call and learn the HHW provider’s policy beforehand just in case they can’t accept the tricky smoke detector.
If you know of any companies that fit the bill for offering sustainable, industry-leading recycling services for smoke detectors, feel free to talk them up in the comments section!
Tips For Recycling
December 8th, 2011
Another argument for Extended Producer Responsibility. EPR should be implemented at the national level, rather than state by state (or even locale by locale in some cases) in order to ensure that these hard-to-recycle items find their way into the proper disposal method. It’s key that you point out the difficulty often encountered in using manufacturer take-back programs. If you make it too difficult for people, then most of the material will end up landfilled anyway and the take-back program really exists in name only.
See my post on EPR in the U.S.
http://tipsforrecycling.com/2011/11/20/extended-producer-responsibility-putting-the-burden-of-recycling-at-the-manufacturers-doorstep/
Tania Solnik
February 15th, 2012
If you call FIRST ALERT, they will give you an acct number and tell you to write:
FOR DISPOSAL ONLY on the 2nd line of your package when you send the old one to them. They melt down the plastic and send the radioactive waste to a specific waste site. Oy. Here’s the info:
UNITED STATES
BRK Brands, Inc.
3901 Liberty Street Road
Aurora, Illinois 60504
For consumer inquiries call: 800.323.9005