A quick guide to safely throwing out fireworks

Fireworks are dangerous and mostly illegal across Southern California, but that won’t stop many from using them on the Fourth of July. But how do you throw them out afterwards?

Disposing fireworks properly is important for public safety and helps protect the environment, but guidance on how to do that can be hard to find. We got in touch with several fire departments to learn how.

Step one: prevent reignition

Fireworks that explode or fly are illegal and unregulated in California, so there’s no telling what’s actually inside or how they may react when handled. Regulated “safe and sane” fireworks also contain combustible chemicals that need special care.

Whatever is in them, make sure you douse used fireworks in a water bucket outside and away from vegetation to lower the chances of them relighting.

There’s no magic number for how long, but the L.A. County Fire Department says they should be soaked for at least 15 to 20 minutes. However, soaking them overnight is the best choice, according to the county department and Kara Garrett, a deputy state fire marshal with Cal Fire.

Step two: throw them away

Once they’re soaked, wrap the used fireworks in plastic bags to prevent them from drying out. The county department says double bagging can work too.

Then, put them in your regular trash can. Used fireworks shouldn’t go in your blue or green bins.

These steps also apply to fireworks that malfunction or fail to ignite, according to Garrett. Don’t try to relight those. Leave them untouched for 15 to 20 minutes and then follow the rest of the steps again — soak overnight and bag them in your trash can.

What about unused fireworks? 

Maybe you have fireworks that are old, or for whatever reason, you don’t want to light.

The county fire department says any unused “safe and sane” fireworks should not be thrown in the trash.

They recommend contacting your fire department or a hazardous waste disposal facility to ask about safe drop-off options. (Some cities may have special events for firework disposal, so keep an eye out for those too.)

For illegal unused fireworks, the county says to call your local police or fire department to arrange for safe and legal disposal, which can usually be anonymous.