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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Depot (San Leandro) | 1933 Davis St. | San Leandro | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| U-Haul Hayward | 529 Jackson St | Hayward | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Sells empty or full cylinders and refills cylinders, including reusable 1 lb cylinders | |
| MLK Smog Shop | 5509 Martin Luther King Jr Way | Oakland | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Refills reusable 1 lb propane cylinders | |
| Airgas Store (San Leandro) | 1592 Doolittle Dr | San Leandro | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Call for details. Unusual sizes and shapes. Exchange for cylinders with recent embossment date on cylinder depending on gas type - inert vs corrosive. | |
| Kamps Propane | 3664 Depot Road | Hayward | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Pick-up for a Fee | Sells full cylinders and exchanges cylinders, including reusable 1 lb propane cylinders | |
| 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. | |
| Home Depot (Pleasanton) | 6000 Johnson Ave. | Pleasanton | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| Laurel Ace Hardware | 4024 MacArthur Ave. | Oakland | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Propane exchange or refill. | |
| Home Depot (Oakland) | 4000 Alameda Ave. | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| Home Depot (Newark) | 5401 Thornton Ave. | Newark | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| Fredericksen Hardware | 3029 Fillmore St. | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off | refill | |
| Staples (SF - Van Ness) | 1700 Van Ness Ave. | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Airgas Store (Hayward) | 30131 Industrial Pkwy SW | Hayward | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Call for details. Unusual sizes and shapes. Exchange for cylinders with recent embossment date on cylinder depending on gas type - inert vs corrosive. | |
| Home Depot (El Cerrito) | 11939 San Pablo Ave | El Cerrito | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| Staples (Fremont) | 39116 Fremont Hub | Fremont | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| AmeriGas Propane Exchange Locations | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Find propane tank drop off (free), exchange (fee), cylinder refill (fee), and local office locations near you. | |||
| Blue Rhino Propane Tank Exchange Locations | One Liberty Plaza | Liberty | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Propane tank exchange location finder. | |
| Staples (San Ramon) | 2710 Crow Canyon Rd. | San Ramon | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Repurposed Materials | 5295 Lakewood Rd | Fort Mohave | Reuse | Buyback Mail-in | Commercial volume. propane tanks. Nation-wide Reuse Supplier with Online Inventory + Yards. Large, commercial quantities for buyback. repurposedMATERIALS buys, sells, trades byproducts, waste, inventories, or equipment. They offer a wide selection of used industrial materials for sale. Explore our collections to find reclaimed materials like billboard vinyl, surplus glass, used wood, conveyor belts, IBC totes, drums, chemicals, gym & bowling alley floors, etc. | |
| U-Haul Refill Station Locator | 5330 International Blvd | Oakland | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Location finder for propane refills. Fee for refill |
