Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal
for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto

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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.

Household Hazardous Waste

This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.

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. Look for a label to contact and return an unwanted cylinder to. Old, rusty or unknown 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.

Vendors

Vendor Address City Destination Disposal Method Notes
Safety Kleen (San Jose) 1147 N 10th Street San Jose Recycle Pick-up for a Fee Discharge and collection services.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Recycle Free Drop-off The Alameda County Hazardous Waste facilities cannot accept compressed gas cylinders other than propane, and only 5 gallons or less in volume.
Recycling Center & Transfer Station - Contra Costa Waste Service 1300 Loveridge Rd. Pittsburg Recycle Drop-off for a Fee
Airgas Store (Dublin) 6849 Dublin Blvd Dublin Recycle Drop-off for a Fee Call for details.
Schnitzer Steel (Oakland) 1101 Embarcadero West Oakland Recycle Buyback Pick-up Commercial quantity. Gas cylinders including air bottles, shock absorbers, propane, and other gas tanks, must be cut in half and valves removed. Acetylene cylinders are strictly prohibited.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) 41149 Boyce Rd.
(At the Fremont Transfer Station - follow the trucks)
Fremont Recycle Free Drop-off The Alameda County Hazardous Waste facilities cannot accept compressed gas cylinders other than propane, and only 5 gallons or less in volume.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Livermore Facility) 5584 La Ribera Street Livermore Recycle Free Drop-off The Alameda County Hazardous Waste facilities cannot accept compressed gas cylinders other than propane, and only 5 gallons or less in volume.
North State Environmental (South San Francisco) 220 South Spruce Avenue
Suite 200
South San Francisco Recycle Pick-up for a Fee
Cylinder Recyclers 4355 Sunshine Rd Georgetown Recycle Pick-up for a Fee Commercial generators. Does not service residences. Propane & refrigerant, medical cylinders, nitrogen cylinders, acetylene cylinders
Linde/Praxair Welding Gas & Equipment Center 2615 Alvarado St San Leandro Repair Drop-off for a Fee
ALCO Iron & Metal (San Leandro) 2140 Davis Street
Headquarters & Metal Sales
San Leandro Repair Free Drop-off, Buyback Drop-off Call for details regarding valves off, empty, holes drilled, etc. Designated spot for empty cylinders.
REI (Concord) 1975 Diamond Blvd
Ste B100, The Willows Shopping Center
Concord Reuse Drop-off for a Fee Sells refillable 1lb propane bottles.
Bill's Ace Hardware 4451 Clayton Rd. Concord Reuse Drop-off for a Fee Propane refills and exchanges
Home Depot 5631 Lone Tree Way Brentwood Reuse Free Drop-off Propane refills
Home Depot 2090 Meridian Park Blvd. Concord Reuse Free Drop-off Propane refills
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.
Brentwood Ace Hardware 8900 Brentwood Blvd.
Ste. J
Brentwood Reuse Drop-off for a Fee refills and exchanges
Mission Tennyson 76 28590 Mission Blvd Fremont Reuse Drop-off for a Fee Refills empty cylinders, including reusable 1 lb cylinders
Home Depot 11939 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito Reuse Free Drop-off Propane refills
Soda Stream Exchange and Recycling Locator Store Drop-off option : Bed Bath & Beyond
590 2nd St
Oakland Reuse Free Drop-off, Mail-in for a Fee See Store Locator webside for drop-off locations and mail-in exchange program.

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