Disposable Gas Detectors are fundamentally single gas detectors that are designed and manufactured to be used for a set period and then disposed of and replaced with a new unit. The life period is generally either 2 years or 3 years with the exception of Oxygen which is normally only available as a 2 year life model.

Most of these units only have a display that shows the countdown in months until the unit will expire which starts on the date the Disposable Gas Detector is activated by the user although there is several models that will also show a real time gas concentration. The Disposable Gas Detector will be worn by an operative that could be at risk from various leaks and exposure to oxygen or toxic hazards. When pre set alarm levels are exceeded then the units will alarm and warn of the gas present. They will also alarm if the time weighted average (TWA) or Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) are reached.

Disposable Gas Detectors are only available in a small selection of gases due to the cost of the sensor and are unavailable to detect for CO2 or flammable gases which use either pellistor or infrared sensors which require more power to the sensor so would only be available using single gas detectors with a charger.