Propane Tanks & Cylinders

Summary of Propane Tank & Cylinder Recycling:

Refillable Propane Tanks are always a better choice than "disposable".
Disposable cylinders are not truly disposable since compacting collection trucks don't accept them.
Age and exposure to the elements impact all tanks and cylinders.
Never refill a leaking or coroded tank.

Locations Refilling Propane Tanks:

Ameri-Gas
Home Depot
Lowes

Propane Tanks are used for backyard grills, campers, and special projects. When the cylinder is empty, many are refilled at local hardware stores but sometimes this isn’t possible. Perhaps the cylinder appears rusty, the valve isn’t closing properly, there is a leak, corrosion or other unsafe condition. Maybe, the cylinder is small and labeled "disposable" but not readily accepted by any waste hauler. Under these circumstances, the container cannot be refilled and since it is 100 percent steel, it should be recyclable.

propane tank small

In the case of unwanted or unsafe conditions, several local stores will offer exchanges or take the tanks back. There may be a fee for these services, call before taking an item to any establishment. Propane tanks are accepted for free at the Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility in Naperville.

In the case of cylinders, while they are steel, they are significantly different than a tin can or empty aerosol container. A cylinder of any size is NOT accepted in any curbside recycling program. This item needs to be taken to a collection site with the expertise to empty it of any remaining gas, test it for reuse and recycle it if necessary. If you are able to remove the nozzel of an empty cylinder, please know that most scrap facilities will accept them.