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If you have a compactor style garbage dumpster at your theatre you MAY be able to put them in there and crush them. Some dumpsters don't "crush" the contents but "compress" the contents back into the larger compartment. If you have a "crush style" compactor-dumpster that would be the all-time safest way to dispose of them. All that metal enclosing the compartment would be imperviouse to even the largest xenon bulb's schrapnel.

If you want to put on a real show for yourself, take one out back to a desserted area, set one up on a tree stump and shoot it with a .22 cal. rifle from about 50 yards away. It's quite spectacular!
If you do this, take all appropriate firearms safety measures as well as all appropriate xenon bulb safety measures! (I live out in the country where people are used to hearing gunfire! )
The 50 yard shooting distance has two purposes. First it's safe. No schrapnel is going to fly that far... 10 or 20 feet, maybe but not 50 yards! Second, it's a more "manly" distance to shoot from.

I have been planning to make a movie about exploding xenon bulbs for some time, now. I'll put the camera behind a plexiglass shield, inside a wooden box and explode them in various interesting ways.
Considering the questions I've seen here over the years, I think I'll also include a segment on "safe" ways of destroying them.

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Really, the only thing I can think of would be to freeze the lamp extremely cold. Liquid nitrogen would be the ultimate thing to use but I wonder if dry ice would be good enough.

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I don't know how they depressurise them but as Randy said previously the hole was in the 'nipple'

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Surely, it would make more sense for manufacturers just to omit to pressurise the bulb than go to the trouble of pressurising it and then depressurising it. Perhaps even they could use bulbs they don't pressurise for a reason (e.g. manufacturing fault with components).

One place I refurbushed were toying with the idea of doing something similar with a 35/70 Fedi XT. It sat in the foyer after being dragged outta the booth but simply took up too much room.

1. Put the bulb in whatever case it originally came in (although this may be sufficient, I tape a newspaper over it as well just to be on the safe side, leaving a space in the paper through which to drill).

2. With proper face and hand protection on, clamp the bulb into a vice or similar sturdy holder.

3. Get yourself a small bit from the hardware store that is sold for the specific purpose of glass and tile. I can't remember what size I bought, but it's quite small.

4. Drill through the plastic case into a part of the glass that is not rounded. Most bulbs I think are curved around the points, and then they straighten out for an inch or two before getting to the metal. This straight part is where you want to drill. Drill very slow, with little pressure, and take frequent breaks to allow the bit to cool. Do NOT push with much pressure, let the weight of the drill do the work.

5. As you drill, you will be able to see a divot forming in the glass. Eventually, when you finally drill through, you will see the glass shavings puff away as the air escapes. I would think that the older the bulb, the less pressure is left, but maybe not. When finished, you can see a tiny hole through the glass, and you will be left with a completely safe conversation piece. I usually leave the bulb in the case and then make some sort of pedestal out of whatever, and write the dates they worked on the pedestal. It makes a unique gift, that's for sure. If you want a picture, I could probably scrounge one up.

As a side note, I have never had one explode on me, and I have made 3 for different people, using a 1600w twice, and a 3000w once.

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"Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" - Homer Simpson

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