Islanders warned to dispose of fireworks safely

Advice includes letting spent fireworks cool for at least 30 minutes

Guernsey Waste is calling on islanders to ditch fireworks safely on bonfire night, warning that careless disposal could be dangerous for bin crews and recycling staff.

Douglas Button, waste minimisation and sustainability officer, said the risks did not end when the display did.

"If they are not disposed of correctly, fireworks pose a serious risk to staff handling waste and can also cause fires in collection vehicles or at the sites they end up at," he said.

He advised that spent fireworks should be left to cool for at least 30 minutes, soaked in water for an hour, wrapped in plastic, and put in your general waste bin. Never recycle them.

Sparklers, even unused ones, should also be soaked and disposed of with household rubbish.

Unused fireworks should not be stored; instead, they should be submerged in water for 24 hours, wrapped up, and put in the bin.

Full details of firework events, safety tips and where to buy them are on the States of Guernsey website.