New guidelines for discarding flameless ration heaters.

Forget what you've learned in the past about discarding flameless ration heaters (FRH). The Environmental Protection Agency has issued new guidelines for discarding FRH. Here they are:

1. Disposal of FRH issued to soldiers:

After it's issued to you, any used or unused FRH is considered non-hazardous waste. You may throw it out as regular trash.

Units may collect previously issued FRH from soldiers to throw out as regular trash.

2. Disposal of FRH packaged inside of an intact MRE meal bag, whether issued to soldiers or stocked in bulk lots:

If the MRE has expired, the FRH is considered non-hazardous waste. You may throw it out as regular trash.

3. Disposal of unused FRH stocked in bulk lots and packaged separately from MRE:

Dispose of as hazardous waste. Although the Army no longer issues bulk lots of FRH separately from MRE, it did in the past. Some installations may still stock cases of FRH. Case lots of unused FRH are considered hazardous waste. When stored in large quantities, they pose a fire hazard and should be turned in for disposal. Contact your local environmental office for details.

The Army encourages installations to collect unused FRH for return to the manufacturer through local Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service programs.

Keep in mind that individual states and OCONUS host nations may have tougher disposal rules than those listed here. Check with your installation environmental office to be sure.

As always, if you have any questions about hazardous materials, talk with your unit's HAZMAT officer or NCO or the environmental office supporting your unit or installation.

For more information, see the Update to Food Service Flasher Message #01-10, Waste Disposal of Flameless Ration Heaters (FRH):

http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/aces/messages/fy05/frh_disposal.html