How to Dispose of a Propane Tank

Never Put a Propane Tank in the Trash

Propane tanks are a fire and explosion hazard and are classified as hazardous household products. Even a tank you think is empty almost always holds a small amount of flammable propane under pressure, which can ignite in a garbage truck or at a landfill and endanger sanitation workers. "Empty/purged" means all liquid and vapor propane has been removed and the pressure neutralized — a job for a propane professional, not something you can safely do or verify yourself. So the right move is always exchange, refill, or a hazardous-waste route.

20-lb BBQ Tanks: Exchange, Refill, or Dispose

For a standard 20-pound grill tank you have four good options. Exchange: swap your empty at a Blue Rhino or AmeriGas cage outside Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, grocery stores and gas stations — they take any brand, you pay roughly $20-$30, and you leave with a filled, inspected tank (note exchange tanks are usually filled to about 15 pounds of propane, not the full 20). Refill: a propane dealer refills your own tank by weight, often cheaper at around $14-$20, as long as it's within its 12-year certification. Dispose: take an unwanted tank to a household hazardous waste (HHW) facility, usually free, or return it to a local propane dealer.

Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply & Scrapping

Many Ace Hardware stores offer propane exchange and/or on-site refill, and Tractor Supply commonly refills 20-pound tanks by weight — but services vary by store, so call first; these are exchange/refill services, not free take-back. As for getting money by scrapping a tank: it's minimal, typically only about $1-$5 for a 20-pound tank, and a scrap yard will accept it only if it's completely empty with the valve removed. Do not remove the valve yourself — have a propane professional purge the tank. For most people, exchanging or refilling is more worthwhile than scrapping.

Small 1-lb Camping Canisters

The little green 1-pound canisters (Coleman-style) are the trickiest. Disposable ones are single-use and unsafe/illegal for consumers to refill, and they must not be trashed if any gas remains. Best options: take them to a county HHW facility, which depressurizes and recycles them (usually free); if you have an REI nearby, all US REI stores accept punctured, emptied canisters for free recycling; or switch to a reusable 1-pound refillable cylinder (REI runs an exchange, and California's ReFuel Your Fun program promotes reusable cylinders with refill and drop-off locations). Coleman's old "Green Key" disposal tool has effectively been discontinued, so don't rely on it.

Where to Drop Off or Find a Site

To find a location: county HHW facilities take tanks of all sizes (search Earth911's household-hazardous-waste filter by ZIP, or check your county solid-waste department); Blue Rhino and AmeriGas have online locators for their exchange cages; local propane dealers take back old tanks for requalification or recycling; and REI stores handle punctured 1-pound canisters. When in doubt, your city or county public works department can point you to who accepts tanks locally.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I dispose of a 20-lb BBQ propane tank?

Never trash it. Easiest is a Blue Rhino or AmeriGas exchange cage at a Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart or grocery store (~$20-$30, any brand). To keep your tank, refill it at a propane dealer (~$14-$20). To get rid of it for good, take it to a county household hazardous waste facility (usually free) or return it to a dealer.

Does Ace Hardware take empty propane tanks?

Many Ace Hardware stores offer propane exchange and/or refill, and Tractor Supply typically refills 20-pound tanks by weight — but it's an exchange/refill service, not free recycling, and participation varies by store, so call first. For pure disposal of an unwanted tank, an HHW facility is the reliable route.

Can you get money for old propane tanks?

Only a little — roughly $1-$5 for a 20-pound tank as scrap steel, and a yard will take it only if it's fully empty with the valve removed. Don't remove the valve yourself; a propane professional must purge the tank. Exchanging or refilling is usually more worthwhile than scrapping.

What do I do with small 1-lb camping propane canisters?

Don't trash them if any gas remains, and don't try to refill disposable ones. Take them to a county HHW facility (usually free), or to any US REI store, which recycles punctured, emptied canisters for free. Better yet, switch to a reusable 1-pound refillable cylinder.

Why can't propane tanks go in the trash?

Because they're a fire and explosion hazard — even an 'empty' tank holds residual flammable gas under pressure that can ignite in a garbage truck or landfill. A tank is only safe for scrap once professionally purged with the valve removed, which you can't do yourself, so always exchange, refill, or use an HHW facility.