When they’re no longer needed, matches should be disposed of carefully. It’s vital to overlook a few key areas when doing this.
Here are a few tips to help you eliminate the risk that these hazards pose to you and others.
Let’s start now.
Is It Okay to Throw Away Unused Matches?
Contents
Matches are a major source of pollution.
When they’re discarded carelessly, they can start fires or harm the environment. It’s crucial to make sure matches are used wisely and disposed of properly.
If matches are left lying around, they can easily start fires. Additionally, if they’re thrown on the ground, they can damage the environment.
One way to prevent this is to check that matches are out and to put them away after every use. Another way to prevent pollution is to dispose of matches in fire-safe containers.
That way, even if matches are disposed of improperly, they won’t start a fire or cause environmental harm. Matches are an important invention that can prevent fires and save lives.
However, they must be treated carefully and disposed of properly.
Why Is It Important to Dispose of Unused Matches Properly?
Matches look like very tiny pieces of paper when they’re used, but they’re not paper at all!
They’re made of thin strips of wood that are coated in chemicals like phosphorus to make them burn easily when you strike them against another surface.
The match heads can ignite very quickly after striking a surface like a candle or piece of paper — this is known as the “flash” — which can set something on fire in an instant if it’s struck near flammable materials.
Because of this, most people just throw their matches away when they run out.
The matchstick’s head might brush against something while lighting a match, and that touch is enough to cause a fire.
This causes a fire to develop in your garbage and causes a lot of damage to the environment.
Improper disposal of unused matchsticks can lead to a lot of harm to the environment.
Inexperienced users sometimes drop their lit matchsticks in the garbage can start a house fire quickly if it touches a flammable material like a plastic wrapper or newspaper.
If dropped on the floor, the matchstick might strike a nearby object and cause a fire as well.
How to Dispose of Matches Safely
Throw Matches in a Sealed Container
Throwing away matches may seem harmless, but it can cause a fire or injury.
Throwing matches down a drain or toilet can cause a fire because the water conducts heat well, causing a spark to light a matchstick.
Burning matches down a toilet or drain can also cause a house fire or injury if a spark ignites the toilet paper or clog in the drain.
To prevent these problems, the safest way to throw away matches is to put them in a sealed container.
However, a sealed container doesn’t actually prevent fire or injury.
Instead, it prevents the matches from starting a fire or harming others. This is because when matches are enclosed in a container, the friction of the box opening can ignite a matchstick.
Therefore, it’s best to throw away matches outdoors or in a fire-safe garbage can.
Bury Matches Away From Home
You may bury matches securely if there aren’t any trees around that could catch fire and cause a wildfire, but if there are trees nearby, this isn’t a safe option.
A tree’s branches can easily reach the ground and start a fire. It’s better to dispose of your spent matchsticks safely rather than burying them somewhere in your yard — that way, you won’t have to worry about accidentally setting your house on fire.
You may bury the whole matchbook, or only burn the outside of the book and leave the inside intact; either way, you’ll need to be careful when digging a hole to bury the matchbook in.
Because they are made mostly of cardboard and paper, matches aren’t considered hazardous waste and can be disposed of with normal trash.
The matches won’t provide a fire danger if they’re buried underground.
However, if your matchbox has ink on it, the ink could contaminate the soil around the box — so if you’re concerned about that possibility, it may be best to discard.
Bring It to a Local Waste Facility
If you have a lot of matches, you can bring them to a waste disposal facility.
For example, you can bring them to your local recycling center; however, you might not be able to dispose of them in a normal trash bin there.
Some recycling centers may not accept hazardous items, so make sure to check first. If your local waste management center doesn’t accept them, you can bring them to a landfill for disposal.
Matchbooks usually contain a lot of toxic ink, so it’s important to be careful when disposing of them.
Like any other item that is not accepted in a bin or box at the recycling center or waste management facility, matchboxes need to be thrown away separately in a plastic bag or container to avoid contamination with other recyclables and to prevent accidental fires.
Light the Matches and Throw Them
Matches should be thoroughly lit before being thrown away; otherwise, they can start fires if they come into contact with anything flammable later.
To light a match, hold one end against the flame of a cigarette lighter or another source of flame for a few seconds until it’s fully lit.
To prevent the match from setting off nearby combustibles, place it in the ash tray of a fireplace or stove and ignite it there.
Soak the Matches
Soaking matches in water is an effective way to extinguish them.
They will not burn when soaked in water, so soak them in a bucket of water after lighting them, or soak them in a sink full of water until they’re extinguished.
Fill a container with water and place the matches in it; they’ll quickly float to the top and become soaked.
Soak the match heads in liquid dish soap for 10 minutes and then submerge them in water for 15 seconds; they will immediately go out.
It will be simpler to light up another match if the first one has been extinguished by soaking it in water or liquid soap first.
Finally, empty the leftover water and carefully rub the struck match head with the heel of your hand until it is completely extinguished.
Can You Recycle Matches?
No, you can’t recycle matches, but you can reuse them or dispose of them safely in the trash.
In most places, recycling facilities don’t accept items that contain phosphorus, including disposable lighters and matches.
Even if they have already been recycled, this chemical is considered hazardous waste and can be harmful to the environment if disposed of improperly.
Also Read: How To Hide Tiling Mistakes
Conclusion
It is quite dangerous to use and fire disposable lighters and lighter fluid; instead, you should carry a lighter in your pocket for emergencies.
If you need to use a lighter for any other reason, you can re-use your old ones until they are used up.
For safety reasons, you should throw them away when you’re finished using them; burning them out isn’t an option because doing so could cause a fire in your home.
It’s best to throw them away in a sealed container.
If you want to be sure that your disposable lighters won’t leak or explode in your trash can, you can empty them first and put them in a sealable plastic bag before throwing them away.
Simply putting your matches or lighters in the trash doesn’t get rid of them.
They end up in landfills where they will eventually decompose and release toxins into the air and soil.
Once this is done, you don’t have to worry about your disposable lighters leaking gas into your home’s air supply and catching fire.
The empty matchboxes may still have a bit of flammable liquid in them, so it’s important to throw these away as well.
Just be careful to do use any leftover flammable liquid with baking soda or sawdust before tossing the box away.
