GASCO Cylinder Disposal Guidelines

GASCO Affiliates, LLC is a leading supplier of environmental and industrial safety calibration gases, which are packaged mainly in disposable cylinders for ease of use, portability, and no demurrage fees to customers.

Because most cylinders are non-refillable, they must meet requirements set forth in the Department of Transportation’s Part 39 Regulations. Part 39 prohibits us from filling these cylinders with toxic gases. In fact, all GASCO mixtures are considered nonpoisonous. With few exceptions, all are also non flammable mixtures.

GASCO cylinders ship as hazardous material. This is due to the inherent danger of compressed gas and not from a chemical hazard. Once the cylinders are relieved of pressure they are NOT considered hazardous material or waste. Nearly all GASCO mixtures contain only a very small amount of a hazardous chemical(s) as a minor component in the gas mixture requested. The fact that it is such a small amount (usually in the ppm range) always precludes the gas mixture from ever being classified as hazardous.

For disposal of used cylinders, it is acceptable to place them in a landfill. In reality, they present no danger to the environment. The cylinders contain absolutely no liquid residue and are clean internally as required for gas mixture stability. As an example for comparison, a typical household cylinder of propane (for camping, torch, etc.) or an empty spray paint aerosol would contain enough residual to be of far greater environmental concern than simply the loss of recyclable metal in the container.

We recommend recycling cylinders. We will do this for any customer that wishes to return empty cylinders to us. Scrapping cylinders involves some preparation before a metal dealer may accept them. This may include removing the valve and/or piercing the side wall. Because harmful residue pressure may still be present in a cylinder assumed empty, we never advise a customer to do this preparation work. We perform this operation as a service to our valued customers who want to participate.

After verifying that the cylinder is empty, PLEASE Denote on Label: “Empty”

Mail to:
Gasco Affiliates, LLC
320 Scarlet Boulevard • Oldsmar, FL 34677
Phone: 800-910-0051 • Fax 866-755-8920