The Future of Portable Propane
For us, the future is easy to describe.
Millions of people will still use portable propane cylinders only more will reuse their tanks and in the process, less waste will be created.
The Little Kamper propane tank exchange program will gather momentum as recreation destinations, environmental groups, and retailers collaborate to encourage sustainable practices.
Disposable propane tanks may still have a useful place in the market but they will eventually be subject to some version of a container disposal fee that will be collected at the point of sale and used to fund the collection and proper recycling of the tanks.
Our campgrounds, parks, and recreation facilities will have few disposable tanks to collect and the cost of the process will be paid for in advance by the people who buy the tanks.
Learn more about propane tank recycling by watching the videos and reading the information below.
Things to Know About Propane Cylinder Reuse & Recycling
The TOP 10
1. Disposable propane tanks may not be refilled and carried over a public roadway. Doing so is a violation of 49 U.S.C. 5124 and punishable by up to $500,000 fine and five years imprisonment. Devices that are sold for the purpose of refilling single use-propane tanks do not exempt ANYONE from the above regulation.
2. The Little Kamper is specifically designed and approved by the DOT as a refillable 1lb cylinder.
4. The collection, transportation, hazardous waste processing, and recycling of a discarded single-use propane cylinder can cost as much as three times the retail cost of the cylinder.
5. U.S. taxpayers and ratepayers pay for this recycling, despite the fact that sales taxes from the cylinders are inadequate as a funding source for the process.
6. It is estimated that over 40 million single-use propane cylinders (DOT 39) are manufactured and sold in North America every year.
7. Propane tanks are certified by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) if they are designed for transporting propane over public roadways.
8. Few companies offer safe processing of discarded single-use cylinders to capture the unused propane that is frequently left in the tanks.
9. Communities that do not have the funds to pay for proper recycling of their propane tanks frequently stockpile them in landfills.
10. Propane is non-toxic and cannot contaminate soil or water. Propane vapor is heavier than air and can settle in low-lying spaces like basements or ponds.
