Disposal of small propane canister question.

SoundGuy wrote:

troubledwaters wrote:
I have been refilling the same 6 cylinders for about 20 years. I have yet to have one leak. But, I only use about one maybe 2 per year so any one cylinder only gets refilled about once every 5 or 6 years.

Seriously? ... you only use "maybe 2 per year" yet you go to the trouble of refilling cylinders instead of just buying a couple of new full ones? Really? ...

Seriously - You refill them and then you don't have people disposing of a few hundred thousand steel containers in a landfill every year.

P.S. I can refill one faster then driving to the store to buy a new one.

SoundGuy wrote:
Here in Ontario we're asked to recycle propane canisters in orange bins located in each provincial park, operated by Stewardship Ontario. Hard to believe there aren't similar programs in the US. :h

What an awesome idea!! Some days, I'm just happy to find a trash dumpster at a State park....

I quit using those things many years ago, except for a couple of rarely used propane torches that use the 14 oz. cylinders.
Instead, I bought a 1 gallon propane cylinder and an adapter hose to use on my stove and grill. It also works good for an emergency propane source when I goof and let both cylinders for the big grill get empty, and for using the weed burner/fire starter torch.
It works for me.
Oh, yeah, disposal...
I save ferrous metals scrap, and once every couple years or so I take it all to the recycling center. I just made that trip, all the ferrous metals and aluminum cans. I came home with $15.04. At least it paid for the trip to the recycling center.

rickeoni wrote:
Why not refill them?

Rover_Bill wrote:
Nobody wants a bunch of 1/2 full, leaking, propane cylinders.

troubledwaters wrote:
I have been refilling the same 6 cylinders for about 20 years. I have yet to have one leak. But, I only use about one maybe 2 per year so any one cylinder only gets refilled about once every 5 or 6 years.

Seriously? ... you only use "maybe 2 per year" yet you go to the trouble of refilling cylinders instead of just buying a couple of new full ones? Really? :R

Here in Ontario each spring Home Depot sells 4-packs for ~ $16 Cdn so I buy a couple and keep them on hand for the upcoming camping season. I built a containment box using scrap plywood for carrying a couple of these canisters, along with a couple of torch fuel cans, to prevent them from tipping over in the truck during travel.



I do have a 10 lb tank I can use to run my Weber Q but it's much simpler to just use canisters to run both the Q120 and my 2-burner Coleman stove, yet I always have at least a couple left over at the end of the season. Empties go to into the orange recycle bins located in every provincial park. If I can afford to own a camper I can certainly afford a few propane canisters each season. :)

Rover_Bill wrote:

rickeoni wrote:
Why not refill them?

The biggest safety issue with reusing those tanks is their cheap single use valve seals. If you unscrew a partially used tank (or refill a used tank), the cheap valve might not seal completely which will allow the remaining propane to leak out thereby becoming a fire hazard. The second safety issue is that if you PUMPED propane into them you could overfill them. On a nice warm day, the vapor pressure inside the tank could blowout the valve and you could have a nice flame thrower in your storage. Lastly, if you fill those tanks from a larger tank using vapor pressure alone, the small tank will not fill more than 1/2 full. Nobody wants a bunch of 1/2 full, leaking, propane cylinders.

I have been refilling the same 6 cylinders for about 20 years. I have yet to have one leak. But, I only use about one maybe 2 per year so any one cylinder only gets refilled about once every 5 or 6 years.

We refill them. If the instructions are read to refill you will get a full bottle. Been doing it for years with only one bad valve.

They fit into the same category as aerosol spray cans, most of which now use flammable hydrocarbon propellants since the global ban on CFCs. Nobody really wants them in the trash stream going to landfills, but hardly any place sets up a special program for handling them. Sooner or later the contents will be vented to the atmosphere, and the propane containers at least contain only propane, no extra toxic chemicals like paints, hair lacquer or pesticides. In many municipalities, all of these device will be on a list of things not to put into the trash, universally ignored.

rickeoni wrote:
Why not refill them?

The biggest safety issue with reusing those tanks is their cheap single use valve seals. If you unscrew a partially used tank (or refill a used tank), the cheap valve might not seal completely which will allow the remaining propane to leak out thereby becoming a fire hazard. The second safety issue is that if you PUMPED propane into them you could overfill them. On a nice warm day, the vapor pressure inside the tank could blowout the valve and you could have a nice flame thrower in your storage. Lastly, if you fill those tanks from a larger tank using vapor pressure alone, the small tank will not fill more than 1/2 full. Nobody wants a bunch of 1/2 full, leaking, propane cylinders.

mobeewan wrote:

bighatnohorse wrote:

rickeoni wrote:
Why not refill them?

I considered that. But reading the fine print on the side of the propane can it say's re-filled cans are not to be transported under penalty of a $500,000. dollar fine!

And how would they know it has been refilled if it doesn't tell anyone.:B

I have yet to go through a road block where they were searching for illegally filled 1 pound propane bottles.

I have been doing it for years and have not blown up more than once per annum.

bighatnohorse wrote:

rickeoni wrote:
Why not refill them?

I considered that. But reading the fine print on the side of the propane can it say's re-filled cans are not to be transported under penalty of a $500,000. dollar fine!

And how would they know it has been refilled if it doesn't tell anyone.:B