Propane Tank Safety
WAYNE COUNTY, OH, Jun 7, 2021 — Summer is here and most of us are ready to be outdoors with our loved ones. Splendid weather and long summer days may mean firing up the grill! Using a grill is easy but you must still be very careful when it comes to handling propane. Listed below are few simple tips to keep in mind for a safe summer:
- Keep It Outside. Propane is a highly flammable gas.
- Keep It In The Shade. While your tank should not be stored indoors, it should also not be stored in direct sunlight.
- Keep It Upright. If the valve on the top of the tank is at all compromised, gas can leak out if the tank is left on its side for any length of time.
- Keep The Valve Closed. Make sure the valve is tightly closed when you’re not using the grill.
- Don’t Use A Damaged Tank. If your tank has dents, peeling paint or rust, don’t use it. The integrity of the tank may be compromised, and gas could potentially leak out.
Proper Tank Disposal:
- Check out https://www.bluerhino.com/about/rhino-feed/recycling-tips for propane recycling. Blue Rhino locations offer a free recycling program for 20# grill tanks. If you have a gas grill propane tank that you no longer need and would like to recycle, write “RECYCLE” on the tank and take it to any Blue Rhino location. Blue Rhino will collect the tank and refurbish it if possible. If the tank does not meet the company’s safety and quality standards, they will recycle the tank. Blue Rhino will accept any standard gas grill tank, including other brands. This is also the most common form of propane tank used.
- Small propane or butane canisters for a camp stove, lantern, or torch (usually 2# or less) are not refillable and can be recycled through a scrap metal yard. Make sure the canister is empty by attaching it to the device it is used with and allowing the gas to run until it’s gone, or use a tool to decompress the item. If there is no scrap metal recycling available and all the gas is released, the canister may be discarded in the trash. Refrigerant gas, welding tanks, and medical cylinders should be disposed of or recycled through the company it was purchased or received.
- Empty helium balloon tanks that were purchased from a retail store should be punctured and recycled at a local scrap metal yard. You may receive a rebate. Follow the disposal instructions that came with the tank or see these instructions from Balloon Time. Helium tanks are not accepted in the household hazardous waste disposal program.
Article courtesy of the Stark, Tuscarawas, Wayne Recycling District.