Drop off your unwanted, broken or expired alarms at your nearest recycling location. Each alarm recycling location will have a drop box where you can simply drop off your old alarms.
Hazardous Waste Collection – If your local electronics recycler doesn't accept CO detectors, consider dropping them off during hazardous waste collection days, especially if they contain a backup battery. If your locality doesn't offer that, contact your trash and sanitation department for guidance.
Many areas have yearly electronics disposal/recycling drives. Check with your local recycling center to see if they'll accept smoke or CO detectors. Check with municipal Authorities for disposal locations or programs.
Curie Environmental Services explains that California classifies smoke detectors as Universal Waste Electronic Devices due to their circuit boards and should not be put in the trash. (Curie also provides prepaid mail-in recycling services for ionization smoke detectors.)
Honeywell carbon monoxide detector disposal:
You can return the old CO detector to the manufacturer for proper disposal. Honeywell accepts expired units that are sent back to them. Just include a note saying that the Honeywell carbon monoxide detector is for disposal and mail it to the address on the back of the unit.
Drop off your unwanted, broken or expired alarms at your nearest recycling location. Each alarm recycling location will have a drop box where you can simply drop off your old alarms.
Even if the alarm has stopped, get everyone out of the home to a place with fresh air. Contact 911 or your local fire department to report the incident. They can come to your home with equipment to measure CO levels and ensure it is safe to re-enter.
While carbon monoxide detectors do not contain radioactive material, they do contain circuit boards and platinum, both of which are worth recycling. Please recycle carbon monoxide detectors at the Residential Recycling Center.
If you are unable to return your smoke detector containing Americium-241 to the manufacturer, contact your local transfer station for other options. It is legal to dispose of smoke detectors in a landfill because they are not considered hazardous waste.
How often should I replace my smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors? Smoke detectors typically are suitable for ten years. Carbon monoxide detectors are generally good for seven years. When you change your batteries in these units, check the date and replace them before they go bad.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Replacement FAQs
To determine if your carbon monoxide non-digital alarm has reached its end of life, refer to the following: When the CO alarm emits a quick beep every 30 seconds and the red LED flashes, the unit has reached the end of its 7 or 10 year life.
In most areas, the fire department does not charge to respond to carbon monoxide alarms or to check for the presence of CO in a residence. However, policies can vary depending on the jurisdiction or specific fire department. It's always a good idea to contact your local fire department for specifics on their policies.
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO, it can make you pass out or kill you.
What is important is that when an end-of-life signal is sounded, the CO alarm must be replaced. This is true if the unit is a standalone CO alarm, or in a combination unit with a smoke alarm.
A detector should be located within 10 feet of each bedroom door and there should be one near or over any attached garage. Each detector should be replaced every five to six years. CO detectors do not serve as smoke detectors and vice versa.
In the meantime, since regular households cannot recycle carbon monoxide, it is best for them to avoid this harmful element. Household owners can get a carbon monoxide detector which will tell you when there is too much CO in your place and when it is already dangerous for your health.
Homeowners and landlords should drop off old alarms and detectors at their local recycling centre rather than throwing them away in general rubbish or even their council-provided recycling bins. Note: if the alarm or other WEEE product has user-removeable batteries, these should be taken out and disposed of separately.
Why is There a CO Detector Expiration Date? Since the chemical sensors that detect CO degrade, an expired detector may not respond as well to CO, putting households at risk. Exposure to even low levels of CO can accumulate on the sensor, reducing its sensitivity.
Although you can put a smoke detector on a shelf, the NFPA recommends mounting one on the ceiling or a wall (within 12 inches of the ceiling). If you place your smoke alarm on a shelf, ensure it's away from drafty, damp, or dusty areas and not near cooking appliances, heat sources, or fluorescent lights.
Photoelectric Detectors Are E-Waste
Photoelectric detectors will not have a warning label, so dispose of these detectors as e-waste.
What is the difference between carbon monoxide alarms and carbon monoxide detectors? A carbon monoxide alarm is a stand-alone unit. It has its own built-in power supply and audible signal. A carbon monoxide detector, in contrast, is part of a fire alarm system and gets its power from the fire alarm.
We tested 30 detectors in use and found that more than half failed to function properly, alarming too early or too late. Forty percent of detectors failed to alarm in hazardous concentrations, despite outward indications that they were operating as intended.
False or nuisance alarms are when your smoke detector or CO alarm goes off, but there is no presence of smoke or carbon monoxide in your home. However, if your smoke or carbon monoxide detector sounds indicating an emergency and you are not certain it is a nuisance alarm, evacuate the home and call 9-1-1.
If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning: DO GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.
Although you replace the batteries, carbon monoxide alarms don't last forever. They have a lifetime of 5 to 7 years, but it is important to refer to your user manual. After 5 to 7 years, replace the CO alarm completely.