Propane cylinders are widely being used in various applications from space heaters to grills etc, but the question arises what to do with these cylinders when they are damaged or expired?
A certain time is stamped on the propane cylinders that tell us till when these tanks can be used and after that given time it will be considered illegal to keep them in use.
So there is a question how to dispose of propane tanks after they are expired or unknowingly damaged, we can not simply dispose of the propane cylinders with the waste of our home as they contain hazardous components and can be punctured easily during the collection and recycling process of waste and can cause fire, injury or damage.
Even if propane is a safe fuel still it can cause severe problems as it is flammable and when it comes in contact with fire can cause destruction.
Never assume that your cylinder is fully empty and does not have any propane left because even a small amount of propane present which you can not observe can be very dangerous. One should be familiar with how to dispose of the propane cylinders.
So here are some ways in which you can easily dispose of your propane cylinder without causing any harm to the environment.
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Prompt Ways To Recycle Or Dispose of Propane Tank
1) Contact a propane supplier
If you have a small propane tank in your house and you want to dispose of it after it is no more useful to you or has expired then instead of just throwing the cylinder with your household waste you should contact your propane supplier, as they know correctly what they have to do with the cylinder.
2)Contact a licensed propane company
When your propane tank is large then it becomes a more tough task to dispose of it and is not in your hands so you can contact a licensed propane company, they will entirely remove all the propane from the tank and will recycle it properly.
3)Take it to a PO community recycling center
If you want to get rid of the Propane tank you used for camping or any other use, then you can just simply take them to the community recycling centers, these centers will take the cylinders without any cost.
4) Disposal programs
Many disposal programs are arranged to collect hazardous waste like a propane cylinder, so you can just simply go there and give your propane tanks in those programs.
5) Discarding it in your trash
If you are sure that all the gas from the tank has been removed and also there is no metal scrapping present then you can throw it in the trash but it is still somewhat dangerous so avoid using this method as far as possible.
6) Contact the company from where you have bought your cylinder
Call the company from where you have brought your propane tank and ask them if they can replace it in a small amount, these companies will recycle and reuse the cylinders in future, some companies even offer to come at your place and pick the cylinders by themselves.
7) Tank exchange programs
Some companies even offer tank exchange programs so you can just go to those programs and exchange your propane cylinder there and get a new one, companies that offer tank exchange programs are blue rhino and Amerigas, these companies also recycle and reuse the cylinders further.
8) Take the propane cylinder to hazardous waste collection sites
Some sites are already present where you can take your hazardous waste and it will be handled there safely since a propane cylinder also comes in the category of hazardous waste so you can contact your local government and ask them where these hazardous waste collection sites are present near you and dispose of your propane cylinders there easily.
9) Refill the cylinder if applicable:
Check properly that if your propane cylinder can be refilled or not and if yes, then go and refill it because refilling is a better option then disposing of the cylinder if the tank can be refilled, so before disposing of your cylinder first check that does it needs to be disposed of or it is applicable to be filled again.
10) Take your propane cylinder to scrap metal yard
If your cylinder has no gas left in it, still you can not throw it to the normal municipal waste collection as it can be dangerous but you can take it to a scrap metal yard, but before taking your cylinder to them ask them first if they can take it or not.
By using these simple ways of disposing of the propane cylinder you can save the environment and prevent any accident from happening because of the hazardous material present in them.
So while disposing of your propane cylinder you should always keep these points in your mind and use the right method for disposal.
I am Richard A. Jackson man behind propane heating solution, An HVAC expert working as a team lead of the heating department, Provide services all over the USA (around all major cities), and from planning to implementation, you will get all your solution here. We provide various tanks (propane and other natural gases) and deal with disposable waste.
