If you’re doing your fall clean-up and decluttering around your Hudson Valley home, it may be tempting to just put your old and empty portable propane tank out with the rest of your garbage on trash day.
Don’t do it. For a lot of reasons.
Most trash haulers won’t even take propane tanks, no matter what the size, so you’ll have schlepped the tank out to the end of the driveway for nothing.
In many towns, improper disposal of a propane tank is against the law, so you could be risking a fine if you try to get rid of your old propane tank by putting it out for trash pick up.
And, most importantly, propane tanks don’t belong in the trash because they can still have some gas inside even when the propane tank gauge says the propane tank is empty. That makes propane tanks a fire and explosion risk, and not allowed to be disposed of with your trash.
Portable propane tanks have a life expectancy of around 12 years.
How do you know how old your propane tank is? Look closely at your portable propane tank. The expiration date should be visible, stamped on the collar of the propane tank.
Portable propane tanks, or propane tanks of 100 pounds or less capacity, will have that expiration date stamped onto the collar. That expiration date is 12 years from the date the propane tank was manufactured.
If your portable propane tank is older than 12 years old based on the expiration date, it is illegal for the propane tank to be refilled. If that is your situation, you have two options. First, you can have the portable propane tank inspected for recertification. That recertification is good for an additional five years. Second, you can take it to your local propane tank exchange and get a replacement portable propane tank.
However, if your portable propane tank is past its expiration date and does not have an overfill prevention device, no propane provider will refill the propane tank. What is an overfill prevention device? It’s just what its name implies. The device prevents portable propane tanks from being filled too much so that there ends up being no room for the propane gas to expand when it’s exposed to warmer temperatures. That could create a risk of explosion.
Portable propane tanks are moved around a lot, and are often exposed to the elements outdoors. Those conditions create more wear and tear. So even if your portable propane tank is less than 12 years old, it may no longer be usable.
Whether your portable propane tank is past its expiration date, or is showing signs of serious wear and tear, you may be at the point where you are ready to dispose of it.
You have some options when it comes to disposing of your portable propane tank.
Your town or county will have information about the rules and regulations for the safe disposal of propane tanks. There may be a local transfer station that accepts propane tanks. Some communities also include propane tanks in a hazardous waste pick-up day.
A local propane tank and cylinder exchange may accept your old portable propane tank if you buy a new, filled tank from them.
If you have bought a home with propane equipment and appliances and the existing propane tank is showing some wear and tear, taking it to your local propane exchange isn’t an option (even if you could fit it into your car!). But getting rid of it is easy with Bottini! When you become a Bottini propane customer, we can install a new propane tank that’s the right size for your propane needs. And we’ll get rid of the old tank.
That’s just the beginning of the benefits of being a Bottini propane customer. From reliable and safe propane delivery to pricing and payment plans that fit your budget, we offer a lot. Contact us today and join the family of Bottini customers!
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