Where to dispose of butane cans

Gas bottles and cylinders contain hazardous and toxic gases and are not recyclable in ACT recycling bins. This includes gas cylinders used to fill helium party balloons, which must NOT be placed in your recycling bins despite a recyclable symbol appearing on some bottles.

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Disposal options
Re: Gas canister disposal
Re: Gas canister disposal
Re: Gas canister disposal
Re: Gas canister disposal
Re: Gas canister disposal
How do you dispose of butane cans in Australia?
How do you dispose of old canisters?
How do I dispose of full butane cans UK?
How do you dispose of butane cans in Toronto?

Disposal options

Drop for free (maximum 10) at the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre or Mitchell Resource Management Centre to be recycled safely
Use the “Swap and Go” system found at service stations and most hardware stores
Dispose of helium party balloon bottles at the hazardous waste area of the Transfer Station
For commercial quantities and gas bottles larger than 9kgs, return for recycling/replacement to Elgas
For gas bottles larger than 45 kg contact the supplier directly to have it removed.

Why?

LPG gas bottle, helium gas bottles, and those used to fill balloons are hazardous waste and are considered a safety hazard to workers in ACT waste facilities. Small CO2 bulbs used for inflating bike tires and whipping cream are too small for our Materials Recovery Facility to bale so collect separately for metal recycling.

Old Gas canisters and bottles should never be disposed of in general waste as they can present a hazard if compacted or put into general landfill. These types of items can degrade over time releasing harmful emissions and polluting the environment for years to come, they can also over time become a serious danger to our community if left in an unsafe manner.

Metrowaste Adelaide are passionate about recycling and offer a waste transfer station close to Adelaide enabling you to drop off all unwanted gas bottles and cylinders for safe and environmentally friendly disposal.

We recycle all old gas bottles including standard BBQ cylinders, old vehicle LPG cylinders, old fire extinguishers, CFC and small industrial cylinders.

If disposed of correctly old Gas cylinders can be effectively recycled for scrap metal and, metal fittings reused for a range of other applications. All gas bottles at the end of their useful life require decommissioning and all contents extracted to ensure safe environmentally friendly disposal.

Larger type cylinders may require additional transport options and Metrowastes mini bin service may be helpful in the safe transportation of old and unwanted gas cylinders.

corvus wrote:As a point of interest where did you source your refill rig from in Japan and how much did it cost please?

I paid $43 USD for mine. I bought it from eBay seller world_wide_2009 (I think I bought it in 2009 come to think of it). I want to say that $43 was my total including shipping at the time. I don't know if it's the current JPY-USD exchange rate or what, but the prices are quite a bit higher now. I see that three are currently available on US eBay for $53 USD each. I don't know what the JPY-AUD exchange rate is.

When I costed it out at the time, the purchase made sense. I can get four 227g restaurant industry type butane canisters for $4.00 USD. Bushwalking specific canisters are $5.00 USD each for 110g canisters or $6.00 for 227g canisters. Plus of course there is the convenience of being able to top off, and the convenience of being able to custom fill when I don't need a full canister for a given route.

corvus wrote:You are also not supposed to perforate them

Interestingly, Jetboil is now selling a tool that does just that, perforate the canister so that they can be safely recycled. I suppose it must be safe.

Coleman has long provided a tool for puncturing their Powermax canisters, but of course those canisters were aluminum and less likely to spark.

HJ

Stove reviews and information: Adventures in Stoving

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Re: Gas canister disposal

by hikin_jim » Wed 30 Nov, 2011 3:42 am

Nuts wrote:Hi Jim, Ive linked to your blog a few times from BPL, welcome here.

I was reading rogers idea of pushing a nail through the valve. I'm no stove 'freak' are these cannisters aluminium? ie no spark? I was relating the story of watching a fella crush them under a dropped boulder, i imagined that wasnt the smartest move

Thanks for the welcome.

Most canisters are steel unless you happen to have some of the old Primus ones or if you have Coleman Powermax. Personally, I'm a little bit wary of puncturing them unless I'm SURE that they're empty, and even then I'd be careful. I'd attach a stove and open the valve fully (outside, away from flame) immediately before puncturing them.

HJ

Stove reviews and information: Adventures in Stoving

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Re: Gas canister disposal

by hikin_jim » Wed 30 Nov, 2011 3:46 am

corvus wrote:Thanks for that link HJ, $37.00 Buy it now price from the same source +$9.00 postage ,may just have to have one of those because at $1.25 Au for 220g Butane it looks good against $7.95Au for 230g of Premium Blend Mix especially with my Stoves with heat exchangers that accept liquid feed.
corvus

I don't know if this is what you meant, but using 100% butane in liquid feed mode won't buy you much in cold weather. There needs to be some propane to pressurize the canister. 100% has to be kept at least 5C, no matter if the canister is right side up or upside down.

HJ

Stove reviews and information: Adventures in Stoving

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Re: Gas canister disposal

by hikin_jim » Wed 30 Nov, 2011 3:49 am

Nuts wrote:I agree with your intital hesitation corv you would need to get the mix and weight right? Any thoughts anyone?? I did talk with another stove freak on here about refilling and was left with the impression that it perhaps needs a full explanation if any??? I'll try to find the link, I read a good discussion somewhere. Meanwhile, watch those eyebrows

Filling with 100% butane to the stated weight on the canister is no big deal. If the original blend had propane or isobutane in it, 100% butane will always have less pressure. But it will be warm weather fuel only.

If you want to add propane, which would be needed for cold weather, THAT is a whole another story. Screw up on propane, and you can have a very serious explosion. I have not yet been willing to take on that risk.

HJ

Stove reviews and information: Adventures in Stoving

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Re: Gas canister disposal

by Orion » Wed 30 Nov, 2011 4:44 am

hikin_jim wrote:Filling with 100% butane to the stated weight on the canister is no big deal. If the original blend had propane or isobutane in it, 100% butane will always have less pressure. But it will be warm weather fuel only.

If you want to add propane, which would be needed for cold weather, THAT is a whole another story. Screw up on propane, and you can have a very serious explosion. I have not yet been willing to take on that risk.

What's the volume of one of these canisters? How much head space do they have when full?

The problem with propane (and to a lesser extent isobutane) isn't just the higher vapor pressure, but the lower density and higher thermal expansion. The canisters are designed so that the concave bottoms will invert to some extent but that only gets you so far. Boom!

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Re: Gas canister disposal

by hikin_jim » Wed 30 Nov, 2011 6:38 am

Orion wrote:What's the volume of one of these canisters? How much head space do they have when full?

As I recall from puncturing a canister and filling it with water, a 227g sized canister holds about 500ml of water. Can anyone confirm that? I hate to go on memory alone, but that sounds right.

I have no idea what volume within the canister is occupied by liquid and what volume is occupied by gas. I fill to the specified weight. If I fill to the specified weight, the proportions of gas and liquid should be OK.

Orion wrote:The problem with propane (and to a lesser extent isobutane) isn't just the higher vapor pressure, but the lower density and higher thermal expansion. The canisters are designed so that the concave bottoms will invert to some extent but that only gets you so far. Boom!

How do you dispose of butane cans in Australia?

Butane aerosol cans or canisters such as those used for camping should NOT be put in the kerbside recycling they are highly flammable if any gas is remaining in them. It's best practice to keep them out of the kerbside bin and dispose of them at your local household chemical drop-off service.

How do you dispose of old canisters?

You can always drop them off at a metal recycling center if there's one in your area, these places almost always handle mixed metals. If you're not sure what to do, contact your local recycling authority for advice.

How do I dispose of full butane cans UK?

How to Dispose of a Gas Canister Responsibly.

Return to Owner. The vast majority of the gas cylinders that are in use in the UK today are owned by the major gas suppliers. ... .

Recycle Your Gas Canister. Most gas bottles can be recycled if you take them to your local household waste centre. ... .

Be Responsible..

How do you dispose of butane cans in Toronto?

Proper Disposal Options Call 311 to make an appointment. HHW must be placed on private property not at the curb or on the sidewalk, boulevard or street. Items must be at the front of the house/building. Place items on the street address side of property whenever possible and advise where waste will be left for pick-up.