Disposal of primers

[Sleeping Dog]

Does anyone have information about the "correct" way to dispose of primers -- assuming you have a lot?

I heard somewhere that getting rid of a lot of primers and other lead-associated reloading materials required some EPA stuff. Is there anyone here that is in the ammo manufacturing or reloading as a business that has to do this? I want to see all of what is required before I start trying to make a business of this.

[JimB..]

You mean fired primers?

I take them to the scrap yard in buckets, assume that if they required special handling that they’d have told me.

[djgoings]

I bring them to my local scrap yard and they are treated like brass casings. Might as well get paid to dispose of them.

[762sultan]

I just put them in an empty soda bottle and put them in the garbage. I can't see wasting the gasoline and the time to drive 10 miles to the scrap yard. I was keeping a bucket with the scrap brass but it ended up being a problem so when I go to the range they have a barrel that I put it in.

[frkelly74]

I also have just dumped them into the scrap brass bucket and sold them as scrap. The guy dumped them out on a table to look for steel and said 4 lbs yellow brass. You don't make a special trip but if you are going anyway with a lawn shed and a stove and a dryer that your neighbors have thoughtfully put out by the street for you, it adds to your total.

[AZ Pete]

recycle it with the scrap brass here.

[dverna]

recycle it with the scrap brass here.

Same here. Likely not worth the bother for most folks, if they do not shoot a lot, but brass fetches a good price.

[1hole]

There is precious little "lead" in priming compounds and most of what's there gets blow away. Spent primers are not an environmental hazard.

[ReloaderFred]

I take expended primers to the recycler and get yellow brass prices for them, the same as for brass casings. My recycler appreciates the fact that I keep them separate so they can go into the bin with the really small brass, and not end up all over the place. At today's scrap prices, a coffee can full of expended primers is worth over $50.00, since scrap prices are up.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Three44s]

I am going to save mine!

We might rue the day we threw them away!! Instead they are insurance and could be recycled into live primers again.

Three44s

[lightman]

I'm another that saves them as scrap. If you don't want to recycle them toss them in the trash. Theres not enough harmful stuff in them to ruin the world.

[fatnhappy]

They’re hazardous all right, just like legos. There’s always 1 waiting like a little land mine for bare feet.

I just toss them in the garbage.

[JWFilips]

If they are live send them to me

[Petrol & Powder]

I don't give a second thought about tossing spent primers out with the rest of my household trash. The liberals make war on gunowners in many ways and overblown worries about lead is just one of their attacks.

I would be more concerned about the mercury in a few fluorescent bulbs than some alleged lead hazard from a few thousand spent primers.

I am constantly amused by the extreme amount of resources liberals will consume in their efforts to appear "green". They burn more electricity, gasoline & diesel to recycle plastic (that costs more money and burns more fuel to recycle than if they just buried it in a landfill and made new plastic.)

[John Boy]

Two buckets for steel shotgun primers and a bucket for brass ones ... both to the scrap yard

[Burnt Fingers]

I've got over two gallons of spent primers.

As soon as I can get a weak mind and strong backed buddy to go to the scrap yard with me I will trade them in.

In need to pick up lead and if I try and do it alone I'll be in severe pain for weeks.

[mdi]

The second paragraph where the OP mentions "Is there anyone here that is in the ammo manufacturing or reloading as a business that has to do this?" suggest he may be talking about live primers? If so, give them to a reloader or as a last resort drop them off at the local PD...

Or if talking about spent primers, fellers above gave good answers...

[kevin c]

For whatever reason, scrapped primers bring a few cents per pound less than cartridge brass at the metals recycler I go to. I don't argue; I'd rather get money or lead in trade than just throw them out.

I should add that it takes a few years, even reloading 25-30 thousand rounds a year, to have enough spent primers and unreloadable brass to make it worthwhile bringing in.

[mdi]

Sharp eyed scrap dealers/buyers can spot the steel anvils and quote lower prices for spent primers.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Any unfired primers you want to dispose of you can send to me. I know how to safely get rid of them

Fired primers go in the trash.