Everything you need to know about recycling gas bottles
Gas bottles are hazardous waste items that can cause fires if they are not disposed of responsibly. They must be safely disposed of through a specialised recycling service.
Cylinders includes:
Cylinders
Gas cylinders
Gas canisters
Methane gas cylinder
Butane gas bottles
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Learn more about recycling gas bottles
How to recycle gas bottles
Gas bottles should not be placed in landfill where they may explode or leak toxic gas. They can be refilled or recycled as scrap metal through specialised services.
Businesses and workplaces with large quantities of gas bottles to dispose of can use the directory on this page to find a recycling service in their area.
If you have a small quantity to dispose of, one of the below options may apply:
•Many manufactures accept gas bottles for return including BOC / CIG, Matheson, Linde, GasTech, Air Liquide, LAA or Liquid Air cylinders.
•Diving tanks should be returned to the manufacturer via dive centres or re-fillers. If you are unsure if a gas bottle can be returned, it is advisable to contact the manufacturer.
•SWAPnGO run a national gas bottle exchange program through a range of retail outlets, where you can swap any brand of gas bottle that is up to 9kg in size.
•CAC GAS runs a recycling service for?calibration gas cylinders.
Why recycle?
Gas bottles and their fittings are generally manufactured from plate steel, a metal that can be effectively recycled over and over again. This can save up to 75 per cent of the energy needed to make steel products from raw materials.
Some gas bottles are also suitable for reuse through refilling. If not possible, gas bottles must always be degassed and devalved before they can be recycled. The potentially hazardous nature of pressurised cylinders makes them a priority to divert from landfill where they may place the health and safety of employees and members of the public at risk, should the cylinder explode or leak poisonous gas when compacted.
What happens to them?
Gas bottles are tested for reuse and if possible refilled by manufactures. Bottles that are damaged, deteriorated, or for other reasons unfit for reuse, are recycled as scrap metal.
Most gas bottles are not safe to be recycled unless they have been degassed, devalved, and may be punctured or in some other way tagged to indicate their ‘gas free’ status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a gas bottle explode?
Yes – gas bottles can explode if compacted and pose a fire hazard. Therefore, you must never dispose of unwanted gas bottles in your home recycling or garbage bin.
Do gas bottles expire?
Yes, gas bottles do expire – the expiration date is 10 years after the start date (which can be found on the collar of the gas bottle). It is very dangerous to refill an expired gas bottle.
If you need to dispose of an expired gas bottle, you can take it a recycling collection point where it will be safely de-gassed before being recycled by a scrap metal recycler.
You can also check with the manufacturer to see if they run a ‘take back’ program for their gas bottles.
