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Via Facebook Tracey Lucas asks:We’ve helped our Elks with an annual Flag Day Ceremony and Flag Retirement Ceremony for many years. Some years we have over 400 flags that have been collected during the year to retire during the evening. We want to retire these flags with the utmost respect, but at the same time, the emissions from burning mostly synthetic flags for several hours has us worried, for the environment, but mostly for our Scouts. These chemicals can’t be good to breathe in.This year, several neighbors came by to comment about the unpleasant fumes. Does anyone have a better way to retire flags? Next year, plan to retire only the cotton flags, but those are pretty few; and we don’t know what to do with the synthetic flags. Since the Elks’ Lodge collects the flags, and we provide only service, we don’t have any control of how many flags are collected, or to limit the materials. I’ve checked out a couple of flag recycling websites, but the cost is prohibitive. Our Lodge will not ask folks for money to retire their flags. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Synthetic flags do indeed create hazardous gases when burned prompting some states to prohibiting the open burning of plastics and synthetics. This is no small matter, the chemicals released when burning plastics can be very toxic and very dangerous.
Flags can be recycled and, as you note, some people are willing to do this for a fee. I seen burial mentioned several times as an alternative but I can’t imagine that this is much more ecologically sound than burning.
The heart of the matter is “destroying in a dignified way”. The Flag Code is the single federal statute that refers to flag disposal. It states:
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
The code was written in 1923, well before the advent of synthetic fabrics. I think it is clear that the code directs us to not simply dispose of flags but to destroy them so they cannot be displayed or used in a disrespectful manner. There’s nothing in the flag code that specifies exactly when a flag is destroyed. Flag retirement ceremonies I have attended seem to favor cutting the flag down the center of the long axis between the bottom of the union (blue field) and the first long stripe before it is burned.
The code seems to contemplate alternatives to burning in the use of the modifier ‘preferably‘. I think any reasonable person would consider recycling a dignified method of disposal. Perhaps the best way forward is finding a local resource for fabric recycling and asking them to accept flags you have destroyed by cutting as described above in a dignified manner.
It is worth mentioning that the Flag Code is the single official source for flag etiquette. All other sources , suggestions, directions, ceremonial observances, history and laws you may find floating around the internet (including the one you are reading now) are the opinion of an individual or a group and nothing more.
Tracey Lucas says
June 21, 2012 at 12:50 pmThanks Tory!! This sounds like a beautiful possibility! The Elks’ Lodge actually provides lunch for all the local Scouts who participate in the Memorial Day flag placement at a nearby cemetary. So there’s already a great relationship established. I’ll pass this idea on to my contact at the Elks’ Lodge. The only hitch I can see is the strict emissions regulations we have here in California. I’ll be sure to post any findings. Thanks again!!!
Tom Dewey says
June 20, 2012 at 8:39 amInteresting topic, thanks for bringing this up Clarke. And as always, thanks for providing reference to the flag code.
I think that Tory probably has the best idea so far. I’m willing to bet that a local mortuary would be willing to burn the flags just for the free publicity.
Oh, this gives me a great idea for ceremony. The flag is seperated into it’s colors, a piece of flag is given to each member of the audience and as the ceremony ends and the audience files out (patriot music or taps playing), the audience places the colors into a scout decorated cardborad box that will be given to the mortuary for disposal (or recycled).
John Crowder says
June 19, 2012 at 11:58 pmThe way we did it at our district campout was to seperate all the flags into Red stripes, White Strips and Star fields (also put a wire through all the grommets in the star fields and form a wire loop so you can collect them after the fire. Then Bind each group together (Red, White, Stars). then retire all the flags in mass over a hot fire. The way they did it was to attach fiber rope to both ends of each bundle and carry it over the fire. The closest person was 8-10 feet away (Far enough to avoid the smoke). You can still have a great retirement ceremony, just takes about 15 minutes. the harder work is done upfront, but that can be divided among many helpers. Afterward collect the gromets and bury them.
Clarke Green says
June 20, 2012 at 7:13 amSounds interesting but still releases toxins in the smoke and in the ash. I am going to go with the recycling option for any synthetic flags and limit burning to cotton or wool flags.
Tory Mathis says
June 19, 2012 at 6:37 pmOur local Elks lodge does their own flag retirement ceremony each year, but they don’t actually burn the flags in the ceremony itself. They are later taken to the local mortuary and incinerated in the crematorium. They end up with a very respectful ceremony and no fumes for the audience.
Tracey Lucas says
June 19, 2012 at 2:01 pmThank you all for your speedy responses. This is and has been a huge concern for us for a few years now. My husband is our Scoutmaster, and feels personally responsible for the welfare of “his” Scouts, and also for the dozens of other Scouts from other units who come out to help. The synthetic flags do burn much hotter, and in a past year, late into the ceremony when the fires got really hot, the flags were almost bursting into flame before being placed into the fire. Since then, we have had one Boy Scout at each fire (we have 3 simultaneous contained fires) to help who ever comes forward to retire a flag. Most of the time it’s a Cub Scout. We make sure that each fire/Boy Scout has a shovel and bucket, and we have a good water hose lying very nearby also. The paper masks that you find in hardware stores are really only good for particulate matter (like sanding), and not for fumes; and as our son pointed out, even if we had the budget to outfit all of the Scouts with $$$ ventilator-type masks, what kind of message does that send out to our visitors? As a parent, I’d hardly want to volunteer my children to an activity that requires that kind of safeguard. Fortunately, the flag retirement ceremony for 2012 is behind us and we now have a year to find some kind of solution. Thank you all!
Allan Green says
June 19, 2012 at 10:35 amNot only are the fumes toxic, but the plastics in these synthetic flags seems to burn hotter than natural fabrics. I noticed this in one flag retirement ceremony we put on, and had the boys move back for the heat. I now instruct them to lay the flag on the fire, throw the ends into the middle of the flames, and take five steps back before saluting. I think from now on I will take the synthetic flags and just cut them down the middle as you described.
Heather says
June 19, 2012 at 9:39 amWow… I would add to encourage people you come in contact with and yourselves (I for one will be doing this from now on) to only buy the Cotton flags. It may be time to be a source of education on this matter. I have never been a part of burning more than several at a time so I had never considered the environmental or scout health ramifications. But yes… I would be worried about the fumes from burning such a large quantity (any for that matter). Is there a mask that would be safe for the Scouts to wear that would protect them from the fumes? I have a stack we have collected between Girl Scouts and Boy/Cub Scouts but there is a statewide ban on open fires in CO, likely for the whole summer, so we won’t be doing it this summer.
Jason Pettis says
June 19, 2012 at 9:32 amThere are many companies that do plastic/nylon/polyester recycling. The trick is to find one that is convenient and affordable.
As with burning, a flag can be cut up to indicate it’s “retired” (preserving the blue field), and then the man-made fabric can be collected and turned over to the recycling company.
Some options for finding such a company include reviewing companies listed on this page: http://www.recyclingplasticwaste.com/recyclers/usa/nylon/