In a method for automatic reference counting, source code with automatic reference counting is executed, such that the source code executes an object destructor on demand irrespective of whether there are live references to an object, wherein the object destructor marks the object as disposed without freeing a portion of memory associated with the object and without impacting validity of a reference to the object. The object destructor is executed during execution of the source code, wherein the object destructor is for use in an explicit disposal process of a reference associated with the source code, wherein the object destructor collects a reference, removes the reference from being a live reference, and marks the object as disposed of.