There is no doubt in the fact that lighters are pretty handy when it comes to quickly light a candle or a cigarette.
Whether you have to light the candles on a birthday cake or melt some envelope sealing wax – a Bic lighter is the way to do it.
A Bic lighter is small enough to carry around in your pocket or purse. Not only does it fit in the palm of your hands, but can easily slide in a jeans pocket as well.
Even though the small size is of great quality, it does run out pretty quickly.
This means that an average adult goes through tons of Bic lighters in a year. This is where it is important to realize your responsibility towards the planet.
Items such as lighters and butane cans can be very harmful to the environment if they are not disposed of properly.
So, if you are a user, it is your responsibility to safely dispose of Bic lighters.
These disposable lighters carry flammable liquids that can turn hazardous when disposed of through ordinary house trash. Even if the thrown-out lighter has a tiny amount of lighter fluid or butane gas left in it, it can catch fire given the correct circumstances.
To promote safety and environmental health, in this article, we will discuss a few ways through which you can dispose of Bic lighters responsibly.
In addition, we will also shed light on what you can and cannot do with Bic lighters especially when they run out of lighter fluid.
When it comes to disposing of a Bic lighter, you have to first decide whether the lighter you are disposing of is filled or empty.
In both of these scenarios, the disposal methods are different.
Disposing of a Filled Lighter
If you have a filled Bic lighter on your hands, this is what you need to do:
Save it for future use
If you just wanted to use the lighter for a certain event, and have no current uses for it, you can safely store it for future use.
Disposable Bic lighters have a shelf-life of more than 12 months.
This means that you can use it within the year for anything else that you may desire.
However, there is a chance that lighter liquid found inside the lighter may evaporate.
This usually happens in dryer areas, but stored inside a drawer or a cupboard, it should be all right.
Give it to a Friend
A Bic lighter which still has lighter fluid inside can definitely be used by anyone else. If you have a friend who likes to smoke, you can simply offer the lighter to them.
Smokers generally go through lighters every week so they can play well in their routine.
If you don’t seem to have any smoker friends, you can give the lighter to someone who works in a workshop or a craft studio.
You need a lighter for several types of projects, and maybe they can utilize your Bic lighter.
Contact a Hazard Waste Management Company
Since a Bic lighter carries flammable materials, it is necessary to contact a hazardous waste management company.
They can guide you on how to properly dispose of a filter back later.
There is a very high possibility that they will ask you to send the product to them rather than throw it out in the trash.
Yet again, it is important to remember that the flammable lighter fluid inside the Bic lighter can be very dangerous if thrown out into the trash can.
So, do not hesitate in reaching out to a hazardous waste management company in order to protect yourself and your environment.
Search for a hazardous waste collection drive
Hazardous waste management companies and local city councils usually carry out hazardous waste collection drives at least months a year.
This helps homeowners and small business owners to drop off any hazardous waste that they may have collected over the year.
This is a great initiative because it stops people from disposing of hazardous material in unsafe and irresponsible ways.
So, with the help of the Internet, you can locate a hazardous waste collection drive and drop off your Bic lighters over there.
Also read: How to Dispose of Hand Warmers?
Disposing off an Empty Lighter
If you have completely used up your Bic lighter and it no longer contains any flammable liquid inside, here are a few things that you can do:
Toss it Out in the Trash
Since the plastic body of the Bic light does not contain any flammable or hazardous materials, you can easily add your lighter to your household garbage.
Place your garbage bag outside to be collected by your local waste management company. This is the easiest way of disposing of an empty Bic lighter.
Here are a few important questions, suggestions, and safety tips that can help you gain a better understanding of how to dispose of a Bic lighter.
Also read: How to Dispose of Vape Batteries?
Can you Add Bic Lighters to the Recycle Bin?
Even though disposable BIC lighters are common household items, they do not belong in a recycle bin.
Most of the parts and materials used to make a Bic lighter cannot function well in a recycling machine.
Therefore, tossing them in a recycling bin is not a good idea. Similarly, sending them to recycling companies may be futile.
Are Bic Lighters Refillable?
The entire concept of purchasing a Bic lighter is to have something disposable in your pocket. You can light anything on the go.
However, these lighters are not refillable. Even though they offer a ton of convenience, they do significantly add to the household trash we make.
Can you Flush a Bic Lighter Down the Toilet?
Even though it is physically possible to flush a tiny Bic lighter down the toilet, it doesn’t mean that you have to.
The flammable liquid inside the Bic lighter can be very harmful if it is mixed with any other chemical or substances found in the sewers.
Just like pesticides, motor oil, or even spoiled milk, you should not pour these liquids down the drain or toilet.
The reason behind this is that all of our drains and toilets are connected to a septic or sewer system.
If harmful chemicals find their way into this connected system, it can create a reaction causing harm to anyone in its way.
This is usually detrimental for aquatic life and people who work in the sewage department.
Therefore, it is best to keep any flammable liquid away from the drain or the toilet.
Bic Lighters: Safety Tips To Keep In Mind
Disposable Bic lighters are filled with flammable lighter fluid that can catch on fire pretty easily if exposed to the wrong situation.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are carrying a Bic lighter with you.
- Do not leave your Bic lighter in a hot car. If the flammable liquid inside the disposable plastic body is overheated under direct sunlight, it can turn into a fire hazard. The little plastic cubes that carry the flammable fluid can expand under direct heat allowing the flammable liquid to be exposed.
- Do not leave your disposable lighter near burning candles or a stove. Since the body contains flammable liquids, it is wise to keep your disposable lighter as far as possible from any fire sources such as a kitchen stove or a burning candle.
- Try not to pick up a leaking lighter in your hand. If a leaking lighter is exposed to any kind of heat, it can blow up in your hand.
Matches vs Lighters
Many people like to use matches instead of lighters when it comes to lighting their cigarettes or anything else.
The reason why matches are better is that they are biodegradable.
Most lighters are made out of plastic bodies which cannot be fully recycled or decomposed.
The only reason why lighters became so popular is because of the transportation factor.
Carrying a disposable lighter is much easier than carrying a bag of matches, however, the pollution that it brings cannot be ignored.
Wrapping Up
The thought of simply tossing out your used Bic lighter into the bin comes as second nature.
If you no longer need the lighter, you throw it directly in the trash can, right? Wrong!
Unfortunately, in this scenario, you have to take care of how you are disposing of your Bic lighters.
If you do not, there can be several major consequences. Therefore, it is important for you to do your part in order to keep the environment safe.
The world-famous Bic brand itself strongly encourages its customers to use the lighters fully till the fuel inside is properly gone.
Once the Bic lighter is absolutely empty, there is no problem in tossing it out.
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