Safety With Depressurizing Propane Tanks

Hey all, I recently did a large scrap pickup from a new customer. He asked me if I recycled the small coleman propane tanks. I said yes and now have several dozen of these little tanks. From your experiences what is the best way to safely vent these tanks? I was planning on punching a hole in the side, but was wondering if there is a better/safer way to dispose of them. Thanks.

Jetboil CrunchIt Fuel Canister Recycling Tool | Camping Stove Parts | BackcountryGear.com I want to get one of these to try out.

Hobo, I think the thing you found, though super cool, is more for the smaller butane canisters hikers prefer that look like Sterno cans. I believe the OP means the green one-pounders Coleman manufactures.

Regionally, our New England yards are sensitive about them, given regs about pressurized canisters, which are handled as hazardous waste. They can't be stored indoors while pressurized but shouldn't be left outdoors in high-heat/low-humidity environments, either, or near where people smoke. Finding a place to stash tanks is a hassle, in itself. They are an enormous inconvenience but given that we are a municipal facility, we feel some obligation to our taxpayers to do what we can with them. Our local yard takes them from us, knowing that we wouldn't dare send them anything not above board. I don't know know if they extend this courtesy to small-scale scrappers.

I have toyed with the idea of just attaching a trigger valve to the top and letting them vent without lighting the ignition, preferably out in the woods, someplace. Propane is not a greenhouse gas so, technically, there is no EPA violation in doing as much. However, a labtech informed me that, in some states, intentional ventilation counts as "processing" and makes you a HHW handler.

Coleman manufactures these little things for their customers, which depressurize the tank but aren't made for venting remaining propane. Their directions recommend attaching it to a stove and burning off remaining fuel until it won't hold a flame before using these tools. But seeing little green knobs doesn't guarantee your yard will take them on sight.

I've been looking to purchase this thing, which would solve most of the pressure and processing issues. The outlay is stiff, especially given that the metal byproduct is steel and not some higher-value metal. I see it as a way to sell a service geared towards handling a potentially dangerous and hard-to-recycle material.

Just be super careful in all of your handling. As many people here know, highly-pressurized substances like propane, when released, result in extreme "relaxation" of air molecules, such that nearby surfaces will become very cold, very fast. Even these tiny tanks can decline in temperature severely enough to cover their valves in ice and burn human flesh during ventilation. The tank, itself, while speedily evacuating, will become incredibly cold and harm your hands, if you do not wear gloves, to say nothing of what can happen to your eyes if you happen to be facing the valve stem when it suddenly depressurizes. I used a Green Key on a half-full one-pounder and it became to cold to hold almost instantly, remaining that way for nearly 15 minutes.

At present, most of what we get we send to an authorized, equipped propane vendor. They aren't keen on the small tanks, though.

What do people do with intact airbags? These can be bad as well...

Use an NPT adapter and than put a valve on the tank? According to Google, there are many adapters that exist.
I'd personally hook the tank to a propane burner, and burn off the residual - far less pollution than openly venting the gas.
After it's completely empty, and has a hole in it, any issues flattening the tank with a sledge ?

even aerosol cans need to be punctured around here.

Originally Posted by hobo finds

What do people do with intact airbags? These can be bad as well...

Thinking junkyard cars, with battery removed, there is no danger of these units going off. So off to the shredder or crusher they go.

Originally Posted by HipoGear

Not sure where you are. Dunn's in Middleport takes the regular gas grill type. If the valves are removed, you will get paid for them. If the valves are still on, they will just take them free. I have four of them I need to take the valves off. Not sure how to go about it just yet. I just imagine the whole tank spinning ... any tips for easy removal?

Buffalo and suburb yards do not want them.

Easiest way I found,assuming a near empty tank:

Put an old regulator on the tank and empty it. Keep one regulator around for such purposes. Remove the handle by means necessary first. Take your reciprocating saw with a decent blade and cut the valve about a 1/4 inch above the tank. Use some lubricant when cutting. No sparks generated. Lay tank on it's side and step on it to hold.

The first one will be a pita, by the last, you'll see what works best for you. Easy. 1 lb of brass for the pile.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

As Breakage stated, there is a huge liability with closed pressurized containers and many companies will not accept the liability for the limited profit. The other concern is the states regulations on there disposal. There are two situations I am aware of (and probably many more) where propane tanks were thrown into cars and when the cars were crushed the propane tanks exploded and destroyed millions of dollars of equipment. My yard accepts them from me because of my system, but they do not accept them from everyone. As far as a second pile and what they do with them, there are companies that specialize in them on the secondary market they are selling them to. The scrap yard has to find storage for them until they have enough for a gondola or semi tractor trailer. You will find that at times they will accept them and other times they will not. If you separate them from the rest of the metal and can haul at least four tons, they will always accept them.

The rest of the story: The manager of the yard comes to my place to hunt and sight in his guns. In my previous post it was pointed out that I use them for target practice. We have one person up river throwing the containers into the water and another down river supervising the soccer net we use to catch the containers. We have never had a container sink and the water removes any residue or fumes. I learned how to shoot back in the 1960's shooting light bulbs floating down the river starting with a BB gun, working up to a .22 and finally our hunting rifles. When this was not a challenge my dad started throwing Christmas lights into the river and we had to shoot the last bulb first and work our way forward (this is a common strategy for hunting turkeys because the ones in the lead do not see the others fall.) I did not use light bulbs to teach my sons to shoot because of the environmental effect, but this was not a concern in the 1960's. My sons learned to shoot using scrap and learned to hit a target with a bow (bare) through a rolling tire. Now you know how I came up with the strategy for taking care of pressurized containers. We have a special area for condensers because of the oil. One of our favorite games is Tic Tac Toe where we spray paint the board on the container and everyone uses a different caliber without a scope.

The reason for this post is to encourage members to think for themselves, be creative, and live for the day. I just lost my father and was reminiscing about all that he taught me and this became the other reason for the post. I am not sure the exact saying but it goes something like this: I could not believe how dumb my dad was when I was a teenager or how much he had learned by the time I was forty.

Response in a nutshell:

Paragraph 1: thank you for the insight.

Paragraph 2: Awesome!!!!

Paragraph 3: how true....... Lost my Dad 30 years ago, I was 21. Learned a lot since, but he was my inspiration .

Ok guys, I'm going to pass on a winner here... I advertise the big gas grill tanks on Craigslist for $10. It beats paying $20 to buy a tank from Blue Rhino without a trade. I have no problem turning them over. It all goes back into the garage sale purse... That thing just eats and eats.

Small Coleman propane tanks... Hook them up to a torch head and use it to burn or vent the propane from the tank. Once that is done, tap the tank on concrete and listen for a Boyoyoyoing like it has liquid rolling around in it. If it just goes, "ding!", it is empty. Tap some that have some fuel in them so you are familiar with the difference between one with some liquid and one without. You can also weigh them with an accurate scale. I have then cut the heads off of tanks. I do like the idea of drilling them with a 30-06, though!

Originally Posted by t00nces2

Ok guys, I'm going to pass on a winner here... I advertise the big gas grill tanks on Craigslist for $10. It beats paying $20 to buy a tank from Blue Rhino without a trade. I have no problem turning them over. It all goes back into the garage sale purse... That thing just eats and eats.

I do the same thing >>

Selling Propane Tanks as pictured. I have as many as you need, (up to 6) for $10 each.

These tanks are meant to be brought to exchange for a new full one. A new full tank goes for $60+ at Lowes, Home Depot, Cumberland Farms, Walgreens, etc. (if you don't have one to exchange) BUT, a NEW FULL one is about $20 if you bring a replacement tank. So, you are saving $30 after buying a tank from me!!

Again, my tanks are empty and have no gas remaining!
You save $30 buying my tank, and you will end up with a NEW FULL Tank when go to exchange it.
You pay $20 if you bring a tank to exchange, and you paid $10 for mine for a total cost of $30. If you went to buy one without a tank to exchange, it costs $60! So, you save $30!

Besides Cash, I can accept Credit Cards for payment as well!

Also, please don't ask if I still have the item. If you are reading this ad, then YES, I still have it. I delete my ads when I sell something. Please in your first email, tell me when you might be able to come get it or with any other questions you may have. I am available almost anytime, day or night, with notice for you to pick it up.

Originally Posted by miked

It's a great that with today's tech you can accept CC"s and Debit cards. The reader you plug into your phone was just out and starting to be used when my wife and I stopped selling at flea markets. I imagine that accepting CC's is a big boost to business. 73, Mike

Especially with the younger crowd that doesn't carry enough cash to buy a soda let alone have Ten Dollars in their pocket
They use the debit card for everything