With all the talk about plastic and the attempt to stop the use and production of single use items. I'm shocked to discover that disposable lighters, the ones that you can't even refill are still widely available.

sadly we discovered all these whilst cleaning out the house for our impending move

We all use them, whether smoking or simply to light a stove or fire, lighters are considered an essential item in most parts of the world. But what happens to those no fill lighters when they run out of gas?

Even the plastic ones that are refillable have a shelf life. The flint goes or the striking mechanism breaks. Then what happens? They end up in the trash to go to landfill or be dumped at sea.
Ideally the manufacture of these items needs to cease. Replaced with lighters made from more sustainable materials.
Years ago there were lighters such as the now classic Zippo. A simple design that lasted a lifetime and only the wick and fluid needed replacing.

It blows my mind that with the advances in technology these things still exist.

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There are a number of alternative options out there. If these no fill ones are going to keep being manufactured then we need to simply stop buying them and choose alternatives.

So what are the alternatives?

Of course everyone knows the Zippo lighters. They're worth investing in. Although, If like me your lighter seems to be claimed by others then there are cheaper alternatives too.

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For instance, Clipper lighter are refillable and the flights can be replaced. There are windproof lighters that are refillable too. The only downside is that most of these are also made from plastic, but at least their life span is considerably longer than the non refillable types. It's best to avoid buying the cheapest windproof lighters as they have a tendency to break really easily rendering them useless.

Plasma lighters rub on electric and contain a small battery that is rechargeable via USB. They're windproof and flameless too.

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You can also find various firelighting kits in camping and outdoor stores. They come with lint, flint and striking mechanism to easily get a campfire going.