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 (Emeryville) | 3838 Hollis St. | Emeryville | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| U-Haul Dublin | 6265 Scarlett Ct | Dublin | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Sells empty or full cylinders and refills cylinders, including reusable 1 lb cylinders | |
| Home Depot | 1781 E. Bayshore Rd | East Palo Alto | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills | |
| Home Depot | 2750 Crow Canyon Rd. | San Ramon | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills | |
| Staples (Antioch) | 4863 Lone Tree Way | Antioch | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Home Depot (Fremont) | 43900 Ice House Ter. | Fremont | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| U-Haul Livermore | 3429 Gardella Plaza | Livermore | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Sells empty or full cylinders and refills cylinders, including reusable 1 lb cylinders | |
| Suburban Propane | 1765 Arnold Industrial Way | Concord | Reuse | Free Drop-off | ||
| Home Depot (Hayward) | 21787 Hesperian Blvd. | Hayward | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| Linde/Praxair Welding Gas & Equipment Center | 2615 Alvarado St | San Leandro | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Call first. | |
| U-Haul Fremont (Grimmer) | 44511 S. Grimmer Blvd | Fremont | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Sells empty or full cylinders and refills cylinders, including reusable 1 lb cylinders | |
| Pick-Up Propane BBQ Tank Exchange (CA Location Finder) |
889 West Grand Ave ARCO AM/PM (IFuels Inc.) (Pick Up Propane Location) |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Fee for exchange, upgrade or sale. | |
| Staples (Pinole) | 1230 Fitzgerald Dr. | Pinole | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Soda Stream CO2 cylinders - drop off, they send back to be refilled. | |
| Home Depot (Union City) | 30055 Industrial Pkwy. | Union City | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Propane refills & exchanges (fee) | |
| U-Haul Fremont (Thornton) | 4833 Thornton Ave | Fremont | Reuse | Drop-off for a Fee | Sells empty or full cylinders and refills cylinders, including reusable 1 lb cylinders | |
| Airgas Store (Berkeley - Gilman) | 635 Gilman St | Berkeley | 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 (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 | |
| 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. | |
| Safety Kleen Systems (Rohnert Park) | 5750 Commerce Blvd | Rohnert Park | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Discharge and collection services. |
