Burning US flags of unknown materials

[rwparks]

I am a Denver (Co) Police Officer and I recently worked at a metro area landfill in an attempt to locate the body of a murder victim. The city of Denver, and it's Police department, has spent an incredible amount of money and resources trying to find the body in question. My question today centers around multiple flags that were unearthed during our manually digging through the trash. Many folks in the Denver area have either carelessly or erroneously disposed of tattered US flags by throwing them out with their other garbage, and I have the honor and priviledge of collecting and disposing of the flags that were located during our search of the dump. I have read multiple posts on the ceremony and reverance with which to burn the collected flags. My question has to do with the burning of the modern materials used in the construction of todays flags. Will nylon and polyester burn? Or will these materials create a big, gooey, disrespectful mess when I attempt to burn them in a patriotic manner. Also, is it disrespectful to burn multiple flags at once? I (along with my 3 boys and any other interested onlookers) have roughly a dozen or so flags to retire at one time. Your answers would be greatly appreciated.

[sarahw]

What an interesting question! It never occured to me that disposal methods might vary based on the material the flag was made out of.

The most dignified method of disposal for an old, torn or damaged flag is burning, but burying the flag is also acceptable, as long as the flag is placed in a closed container so it is never again exposed to the elements or public view. Throwing a flag in the trash is certainly not the right way to go about it.

Flag burning cermonies can vary; there is no one set ceremony used by all groups that regularly do flag retirement ceremonies. The key is that flags are usually burned in small, semi-private ceremonies and in a dignified way, so that this respectful ceremony can't be confused with some other kind of flag burning.

That said, flags can be burned in a wood fire or in a barrel, which might be better if you don't know what the flags are made of or what they might have come in contact with in the landfill. Polyester melts as it burns and the hot, sticky ash can stick to skin, so burning it in a barrel and keeping everyone a safe distance from it might be helpful for everyone's safety.

Nylon melts and then burns very quickly. Burning nylon can release toxic fumes; it may even be illegal to burn in some cities. Check with your local scouts and American Legion to see if anyone has a program for safely incinerating such flags.

If you want to have your own flag retirement ceremony, get the fire going strongly before you start. The National Flag Foundation suggests burning your fire down to a bed of embers before burning the flag so that little bits of the flag won't be swept away by the fire.

If your flags are folded, they should be in a rectangle instead of a triangle shape. Flags may also be cut into pieces to be burned, but be careful not to cut any of the blue field, which represents the Union and should never be severed.

Burn one flag at a time, though you can burn more than one in one ceremony. How you carry out your ceremony depends on you. You can salute each flag as they go into the fire, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing patriotic songs, or whatever you like. Remember to safely extinguish the fire when you are done.

What a lovely gesture to dispose of these flags properly. Thank you!

Sarah

[Just George]

This fourm should be required reading for every American. What OUTSTANDING thoughts come out of here. Thank you all.

Geo

[plank]

Thanks so much for this question and its coresponding answer. I have a wind-tattered flag that I wanted to be sure to dispose of properly and it so happens to be nylon.

My grandfater, a WWII veteran of the U.S. Army, always had a ceremony when his flag became worn. There was never a dry eye, especially his. Just seeing him weeping made me as a child sob during the entire ceremony.

Its so sad to see the flag just tossed in the trash. From this point forward I will take any of those that I see and consider it an honor to dispose of it properly.

Thanks again!

[american_flag_uk]

im english but i feel sad so sad to hear that flags were thrown in the trash but happy to hear that some1 will pick them pout of there and dispose of them correctly. ty so much!

my answer is largely to reply to the last comment aboiut the wind tattered nylon flag...- instead of burning it couldent you sew it back together??

[plank]

My flag was extremely tattered beyond repair. It was a particularly violent storm.

[Anna Banana]

I was wondering if I should take it to an American Legion Post so it would be properly disposed of, and if they allow people to bring the Flags there for that reason.

[Carlos M. Huertas]

Hello everyone. This is my first time at this site. I have been task with making sure our school children know the proper procedure for disposaling of the US Flag. I want to ensure I have all the right information regrading the proper method. I think I found the great resource and with the help of my fellow Americans I can respectfully honor our great flag and its great history.
Sincerely,
Carlos M. Huertas

[Just George]

Ah, such great spelling. And the use of the English terms are so quaint. Thanks for the really good laugh.

[Peter Ansoff]

Thanks for the really good laugh.

Indeed. Someday they will grow up to be adults, and maybe they will realize how foolish and ridiculous their childish behavior was.

Peter Ansoff