Propane Tanks

Alternative ways to recycle
Illegal in Garbage & Drains
Household Hazardous Waste Scrap Metal Recycling
NO-valve

Do Not Tamper With

If you are waiting to dispose of a tank, store them outside and upright with their caps on tight. Write empty on the container, and do not try to remove the valve.

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Especially Hazardous if Not Empty

A propane tank is still pressurized and can explode or start a fire if it’s not entirely empty. Propane can also be damaging to your health if touched or inhaled, so any tank that is not empty must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

camping-gas-cylinders-use-up

Use Up Completely

Empty propane tanks are less likely to injure people, because the tank is not pressurized with propane gas.

Don't Refill Disposables

If your cylinder contains words like “nonrefillable,” “disposable” or “single trip,” do not try to refill it. Federal law prohibits the transport of refilled disposable cylinders because the metal is stressed to its capacity with its first use, and becomes thin and likely to explode when further stressed.

Alternative Ways to Recycle

national parks logo

Recycle in National Parks

Yellowstone, Yosemite and Bryce Canyon National Parks all have propane cylinder recycling machines. If you are visiting one of these parks, dispose of your empty cylinder in one of their receptacles.

AmeriGas

AmeriGas Offers Free Tank Disposal

You can dispose of propane tanks by returning them to AmeriGas. Find an AmeriGas office. Fees may apply.

Ways to Reduce

refuel your fun

Use Refillable Cylinders

Save money and reduce waste by choosing a refillable cylinder over a disposable one.  They come as small as one pound and can last up to 12 years. Find a refillable cylinder with the ReFuel Your Fun campaign.

Did You Know?

Disposable Gas Cylinders: A Huge Waste

The United States consumes approximately 40 million disposable gas cylinders each year. These cylinders, both dangerous and expensive to recycle, mostly end up in landfills, taking up close to 5 million cubic feet of space annually. If recycled, 12,000 automobiles could be made each year with the recovered steel.

Save Money with Refillable Cylinders

When you buy a disposable cylinder, 80 percent of the cost is packaging. Not only are refillable camping gas cylinders good for the environment, they save customers an average of $320 over their 12-year lifespan, assuming the cylinder is reused 10 times a year.