Smoke Detectors

The most common type of smoke detector is an ionization detector, which contains a small amount of Americium 241, a radioactive element. While the amount of Am-241 is small enough to be considered harmless, its presence warrants special care. Some retailers take back the brands of smoke alarms they stock; ask the store you purchased your smoke detector from if they provide this service. Some manufacturer take-back programs exist. Search the web using the manufacturer's name & "smoke detector recycling" for more info. Label the box "for disposal" before mailing by surface mail or UPS Ground (these shouldn't be transported in an airplane). Smoke detectors from any manufacturer can be recycled through www.curieservices.com. They may also be brought to the Clean Sweep Collection

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