As compressed gas cylinders are used regularly they begin to deteriorate and eventually stop functioning properly. When the day comes that the cylinder is no longer capable of holding its pressure it must be recycled and replaced by a cylinder in better condition. If you’re the owner of compressed gas cylinders it’s pretty important for you to understand the process of gas cylinder recycling when they go bad, otherwise you will have a stockpile of old cylinders sitting around your location.
Give them back to the Supplier
When you are finished with a gas cylinder that was supplied to you by a gas supply company you should always return their tank back to them. After the tank becomes worn out enough the supplier will handle recycling the tank so you don’t have to. Most suppliers simply release their tanks to customers, and they expect to receive the tanks again after they have been emptied out or even if they aren’t emptied all the way.
Preparing for Gas Cylinder Recycling
If you are planning to recycle a compressed gas cylinder on your own rather than sending it back to the supplier there are a few steps that you have to go through to get it ready. First you have to note whether the gas can safely be released into the atmosphere or not. After you are certain it is safe to release you should secure the cylinder so that it won’t move, and then drain any remaining gas out using a regulator that you open up.
After all of the pressure has been released from the tank you have to remove the valve of the cylinder, or drill a hole in the sidewall of the tank.
Recycling a Hazardous Gas
If you have a cylinder that contains a gas that can’t be released into the atmosphere safely, such as hydrogen, or hydrogen cyanide then you will have to treat the container like hazardous waste if all of the gas isn’t used up. A hazardous waste company will have to be paid to come and remove the tank and recycle it for you. This should be avoided as much as possible because it can be quite expensive. The easiest way to do this is to either send the tank back to the supplier, or ensure that all of the gas is used up in your procedure.
Recycling a Safe Cylinder
After you have released all the pressure in your cylinder, and it either has a hole in the sidewall, or the valve has been removed, you can bring it to your nearest recycling facility that accepts the material it is made from.
As long as these facilities can see that the tank is completely empty with a visual inspection they won’t have a problem taking them and recycling them for you. This is the most affordable way to get rid of tanks that you can’t simple send back to the original supplier.
By taking the time to learn what to do with old cylinders you can ensure that you aren’t putting any of your employees or any of the recycling facilities at risk. Even pressurized tanks filled with inert gases can be dangerous if they are punctured while maintaining a high pressure inside. Don’t put others at risk make sure to follow gas cylinder recycling guidelines.
Contact us for a FREE consultation and estimate on compressed gas cylinder cleanup and disposal that will reduce your risk and improve your bottom line.