Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
Compressed Gas Cylinders - Refillable
Refillable compressed gas or fuel cylinders most often contains propane, a flammable gas used for heating and cooking and have a special valve for professional refueling.
Damaged or empty propane tanks and cylinders are hazardous waste and should never be put in the garbage or recycling as they could become punctured during the collection process and cause a fire or injury.
Empty, good condition tanks can be exchanged or refilled where you got it (e.g. 1lb or 5-20lb propane cylinders, SodaStream gas cylinders) or have the supplier come pick it up as it is not considered hazardous waste. Look for a shoulder label to contact and return an unwanted cylinder to that company. Old, rusty or unknown empty cylinders may be taken to a scrap metal company once they have been completely emptied with the valves safely removed. Companies that specialize in gas cylinders may offer this service (e.g, AirGas). For DTSC detailed information on handling empty cylinders (then considered waste), see this link. Click here for more information on propane tank recycling.
Vendors
| Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Method | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul Refill Station Locator | 5330 International Blvd | Oakland | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Location finder for propane refills. Fee for refill | |
| Re-Up Refills | 6025 College Ave | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Free drop off of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) cartridges, like Soda Stream, Drink Mate. They stock and thus, give deposits for DrinkMate cartridges. | |
| Cole Hardware (Rockridge) | 5533 College Ave | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane exchange. Does not accept single use small propane canisters. Small camp | |
| City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program | 2501 Embarcadero Way | Palo Alto | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Only 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste per visit. Must be a Palo Alto resident, proof of residency is required. | |
| Staples (Pinole) | 1230 Fitzgerald Dr. | Pinole | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Staples (Pinole) | 1230 Fitzgerald Dr. | Pinole | Recycle | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Home Depot | 2300 N. Park Blvd. | Pittsburg | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills | |
| Recycling Center & Transfer Station - Contra Costa Waste Service | 1300 Loveridge Rd. | Pittsburg | Recycle | Drop-off for a Fee | ||
| Staples (Pleasant Hill) | 2120 Crescent Dr. | Pleasant Hill | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Staples (Pleasant Hill) | 2120 Crescent Dr. | Pleasant Hill | Recycle | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Pleasanton Transfer Station | 3110 Busch Rd. | Pleasanton | Recycle | Drop-off for a Fee | ||
| Home Depot (Pleasanton) | 6000 Johnson Ave. | Pleasanton | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| Airgas Store (Redwood City) | 1826 Industrial Way | Redwood City | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | unusual shapes & sizes. Exchange for cylinders with recent embossment date on cylinder depending on gas type - inert vs corrosive. | |
| Allied Propane Service | 5000 Seaport Ave. | Richmond | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Refills Propane | |
| Safety Kleen Systems (Rohnert Park) | 5750 Commerce Blvd | Rohnert Park | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Discharge and collection services. | |
| Safety Kleen Systems (Sacramento) | 6000 88th Street | Sacramento | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | Discharge and collection services. | |
| Airgas Store (San Carlos) | 820 Industrial Rd | San Carlos | Recycle | Pick-up for a Fee | unusual shapes & sizes. Exchange for cylinders with recent embossment date on cylinder depending on gas type - inert vs corrosive. | |
| Recology SF Household Hazardous Waste Home Collection | 501 Tunnel Ave | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Pick-up | San Francisco Residents only. | |
| Recology SF Household Hazardous Waste Facility | 501 Tunnel Ave. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | Limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per day of all household hazardous waste. San Francisco residents only. Address verification required. Open Thursday-Saturday only from 8am-4pm. | |
| Staples (SF - California St) | 300 California St. | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. |
