Summer in Ontario means barbecues, camping, and cottage weekends, which means propane. It also means that, sooner or later, you find a few old tanks in the shed: a barbecue cylinder with a rusty collar, a spare that came with the house, and a handful of little green camping canisters that may or may not be empty.
Propane tank disposal is simple once you know the routes, but it is one of the few things where getting it wrong can genuinely hurt someone. This guide covers why tanks need special handling, how to tell when a cylinder has expired, your options for each kind of tank, and how to store and transport them safely.
Why propane tanks need special handling
Propane cylinders hold flammable gas under pressure. Even a tank that feels empty usually holds some residual gas. If a tank is crushed in a garbage truck, compacted at a transfer station, or caught in a fire, it can rupture or explode.
That is why propane tanks never go in household garbage, blue box recycling, or rental bins. They need to go somewhere set up to handle them, and in Ontario there are several such places, most of them free.
Know your cylinder
Propane comes in a few common sizes, and each has slightly different options:
- 20-pound barbecue cylinders, the familiar white or grey tanks. By far the most common.
- 1-pound camping canisters, the small green cylinders for camp stoves, lanterns, and portable heaters.
- 30 and 40-pound cylinders, often used on RVs and trailers.
- 100-pound and larger tanks, used for home heating, cottages, and appliances. These are often owned or leased by the propane supplier.
The 10-year rule
Propane cylinders in Canada have to be requalified, which means inspected and recertified, 10 years after the date they were manufactured. The manufacturing date is stamped on the collar of the tank, usually as a month and year.
Refill stations will not fill a cylinder that is past its requalification date. A cylinder can sometimes be requalified, but for a standard barbecue tank, exchanging it is usually far easier.
Check the date on your tanks now, before the next long weekend. Finding out at the refill station that your tank has expired is a common way to lose an afternoon.
Reading the collar
The metal collar around the valve carries more than the date. Two other markings are worth knowing.
TW stands for tare weight, the weight of the empty cylinder, usually stamped in pounds. It is the most useful number on the tank, because it tells you how much propane is left: weigh the tank on a bathroom scale and subtract the tare weight. A standard barbecue cylinder holds about 20 pounds of propane, so a tank that weighs its tare weight plus 20 is full, and one that weighs close to its tare weight is nearly empty.
WC stands for water capacity, the volume of the cylinder. You do not need it for anything at home.
Look at the valve handle too. Modern barbecue cylinders have an overfill protection device, or OPD, valve, which you can recognize by its triangular handwheel. Older tanks with round or star-shaped handles usually predate it, and refill stations will generally not fill them. Those tanks are ready for an exchange or a depot.
Is it really empty?
Most tanks people think of as empty are not. Before you decide a tank is finished, check it one of two ways.
Weighing is the most accurate, as described above. The other trick needs only a cup of warm tap water. Pour it slowly down the side of the tank, then run your hand down the same path. The tank will feel noticeably cooler at and below the level of the liquid propane inside. If the whole tank feels warm, it is close to empty.
Never try to empty a tank yourself by opening the valve and letting it vent, and never remove the valve. Released propane is heavier than air, collects in low spots, and can find an ignition source well away from where you are standing. Hand the tank over with whatever gas is left in it; the exchange, the dealer, and the depot are all set up to deal with it.
Option 1: exchange it
For barbecue cylinders, cylinder exchange programs are the easiest route. Many hardware stores, gas stations, and grocery stores swap your empty tank for a full one, and many will accept older cylinders in exchange too. The old tank goes back into the system to be inspected, refurbished, or recycled.
If you just want to get rid of a tank and do not need a full one, ask the exchange retailer whether they will take it anyway. Some will.
Option 2: a propane dealer or refill station
Propane dealers and refill stations often take back old cylinders, sometimes for a small fee. They can also tell you whether a tank can be requalified instead of replaced. This is a good option for larger cylinders, like 30 or 40-pound RV tanks.
Option 3: your municipal hazardous waste depot
Most Ontario municipalities accept household propane cylinders at their household hazardous waste depots or special collection days, usually at no charge for residents. This is the best option for expired tanks, damaged tanks, tanks with outdated valves, and anything you cannot exchange.
Check your municipality's waste page for the depot location, hours, and any limits on quantity.
Small camping canisters
The 1-pound green canisters are a particular problem, because they are designed to be disposable and people tend to think of them as empty. Most still hold some gas when they stop working with a stove.
Take used canisters to a household hazardous waste depot. Some municipalities have special drop-off arrangements for them, especially in cottage and camping areas. Never put them in the garbage or recycling, and never puncture them. Refillable 1-pound cylinders exist too, and they are worth considering if you camp often.
The same goes for the other small pressurized cylinders that collect in workshops and camping bins: butane canisters for portable stoves, and the yellow or blue cylinders used on plumbing and soldering torches. They all hold flammable gas under pressure, and they all go to the hazardous waste depot rather than the garbage.
Large tanks
For 100-pound tanks and larger, including home heating tanks, start by calling the propane supplier. These tanks are often owned or leased by the supplier, who will remove them. Even if you own the tank, a propane company is the right party to remove it safely. Do not try to move or transport a large propane tank yourself.
Storing tanks safely
Until a tank leaves your property, store it properly:
- Outdoors, standing upright, on a flat, stable surface.
- Away from heat sources, open flames, and direct sunlight where possible.
- Never inside the house, in the basement, or in an attached garage.
- With the valve fully closed, even if you think the tank is empty.
When you close up a cottage for the winter, the same rules apply. Disconnect the barbecue tank, close the valve, and leave the cylinder outdoors and upright rather than locking it in the cottage or a closed shed. Cold does not hurt a propane tank, but a slow leak inside an enclosed building can.
Transporting tanks safely
When you take tanks to an exchange, a dealer, or a depot:
- Keep them upright and secured so they cannot tip or roll.
- Make sure the valves are closed.
- Crack a window for ventilation.
- Go straight to your destination. Never leave tanks in a parked car, especially on a hot day.
- Transport only the tanks you need to move, not a collection.
Checking for leaks and damage
If you smell gas around a tank, close the valve. To check for leaks, brush a mix of soapy water over the valve and connections; bubbles mean a leak. A tank with a leak, heavy rust, dents, or a damaged valve should not be used. Take it to a depot or dealer.
Old tanks in cottages and estates
Old propane tanks turn up constantly in cottage closings, estate cleanouts, and garage clear-outs. Some are decades old, rusted, and fitted with outdated valves that modern refill stations will not touch. Treat every one as if it still holds gas, and take them to a household hazardous waste depot.
If you are clearing a whole property, sweep it for tanks before the bin arrives, along with paint, fuel, and other chemicals. Our estate cleanout guide and garage cleanout checklist both include this step.
Why propane tanks are on our not-accepted list
Propane tanks are on the not-accepted list for our bins and nearly every other rental bin, for the reasons above: they put drivers, transfer station workers, and equipment at risk. A load with a propane tank in it can be refused. Our guide to what can and cannot go in a rental bin lists the other items that need their own route, and our household hazardous waste guide covers the rest of the hazardous shelf.
Once the tanks and chemicals are out, our residential rentals take everything else.
Where we help
We deliver bins across southern and eastern Ontario, including the cottage country around Bobcaygeon, Buckhorn, Fenelon Falls, and Harwood, where old propane tanks are a familiar sight in sheds and boathouses. Set the tanks aside for the depot, and we will handle the rest of the cleanout.
