When the bear spray gets expired, it will not be as effective as it was before, it will not be able to cover the same distance like it did before and the functioning will deteriorate with time.

It also depends on the size of the canister, the smaller the size, the more the reduction in the ability to perform well. If you plan on carrying a canister that has expired, it is usually a bad idea.

Bear spray does expire

What happens when the bear spray expires? In this article I will provide an answer to this question in detail and discuss what to do with the expired bear spray.

Usually, the expiration date of a bear spray is stamped on its bottle, and it has a shelf-life of 3-4 years. The bear sprays are made of components such as capsaicinoids, which are a part of the ingredients of bear spray.

The expiry date of the spray has no effect on the degradation of its ingredient and the effectiveness of the spray. However, as time passes, the product will no longer remain the same, its ability to spray well will change and deteriorate.

Why does bear spray expire?

People often ask this question that why do bear spray expire. The answer lies in the fact that the bear spray is actually made up of three main ingredients that include: capsaicinoids, propylene glycol, and a propellant (nitrogen).

All of these ingredients together make the solution, and the solution is released in the form of the spray that creates a form of fog. As time passes and the canister remains unused, it capability gets reduced and it is not able to function the same way.

What to do with unused bear spray?

If you have an unused bottle of Bear Spray or its expiry date is near, you cannot get rid of it by simply throwing it in the trash.

As it could be harmful if it gets in the hands of someone who doesn’t know the purpose of this spray. If you want to dispose of an unused bottle, then you should do it in a proper way.

You can empty its ingredients in the sink or somewhere outside and then throw the empty bottle in recycle bin. In some countries, there is a rule to waste the solution and empty the bottle before disposing it off.

Replace it with a new one

Bear pepper spray is an amazing self-defense tool especially for people who are into hiking, rafting etc. If you want to protect yourself from aggressive and harmful bears this pepper spray can be a good solution.

Bear sprays were also invented in order to lessen the number of bears being killed by tourists who were attacked while hiking into the woods. Therefore, carrying a bear spray is highly recommended by many experienced hikers.