Bonfire Night: fireworks, sparklers and bonfire waste

Updated 14 Oct 2026

The morning after Bonfire Night there are usually spent fireworks, sparkler wires, ashes and party rubbish to clear up. Some of it is hazardous and needs more care than everyday waste.

None of it goes in your recycling bin. Each section says what to do and links the official advice it comes from.

Used fireworks

Fireworks can stay hot for a while after they've gone off. Leave them to cool, then:

  1. Pick them up wearing strong gloves, or with tongs.
  2. Soak them in a bucket of water overnight.
  3. Put them in a bag and put it in your general waste bin, not the recycling. They're full of chemical residue, so they can't be recycled.

Unused, faulty or dud fireworks

Never relight a firework that hasn't gone off. Leave it alone for at least 30 minutes, then soak it in water.

Don't put unused or faulty fireworks in any household bin, and don't take them to a recycling centre unless your council says it accepts them: many don't. Instead, ask the shop you bought them from (some take them back), the manufacturer (details are on the box), or your local fire and rescue service. Some fire services run firework amnesties.

If you're told to soak them first, keep them fully under water, weighted down if needed, and don't let them dry out.

Sparklers

A sparkler's wire stays very hot long after it goes out. Put used sparklers hot end down into a bucket of water or sand straight away.

When they've cooled, soak them overnight, bag them and put them in your general waste bin. Sparklers can't be recycled with metal, because the wire is coated in fuel and chemicals.

Bonfires

Burn only dry garden waste and untreated wood. Never burn plastics, tyres, foam furniture, paint tins, aerosols, gas canisters or batteries: they give off toxic smoke or can explode. Never use petrol or other fuel to light a bonfire.

Wildlife such as hedgehogs shelter in piles of branches and leaves, so build your bonfire on the day, or check it carefully before you light it.

Much of what people burn can go in a garden waste bin or to a recycling centre instead.

Ashes and barbecues

Never put hot ashes, embers or a disposable barbecue in a bin: they cause bin and bin lorry fires. Let them cool completely, damp them down with water, and only then deal with them as your council says.

Party food and drink

Cans, glass bottles and plastic bottles are usually recyclable at home. Paper plates and napkins with food on them usually aren't, and leftover food can go in a food caddy if your council collects food waste.

Common questions

How do you dispose of used fireworks?

Let them cool, pick them up with gloves or tongs, soak them in water overnight, then bag them and put them in your general waste bin. Never put them in the recycling. See used fireworks.

How do you get rid of unused fireworks?

Don't put them in any household bin. Ask the shop you bought them from, the manufacturer or your local fire and rescue service; some run firework amnesties. Many recycling centres don't accept fireworks, so check with your council before you take any. See unused or dud fireworks.

Can you put sparklers in the bin?

Only once they're cold and soaked. Put them hot end down in a bucket of water or sand straight after use, soak them overnight, then bag them and put them in your general waste. They can't be recycled. See used sparklers.

Can bonfire ashes go in the garden waste bin?

It depends on your council, and they must be completely cold first. See ashes from a fire and choose your council for its rule.

Sources

Each item's answer above comes from the national guidance in our data. Your council's own rules can differ: choose your council on any item page, or check its website.