Same answer in every state and territory
How to get rid of an old gas bottle in Australia
Anywhere in Australia, the easiest way to get rid of an old barbecue gas bottle is to swap it: Swap'n'Go takes almost any 8.5 kg or 3.7 kg bottle, other brands and out-of-date ones included. To drop one off for good, ask your council; drop-off rules are set locally. Never put one in a bin.
Sources Elgas: Swap'n'Go FAQWorkSafe Victoria: unsafe and illegal LPG cylindersACT City Services: why gas bottles never go in a binNSW EPA: Community Recycling Centres and CleanOut eventsWA Waste Sorted: household hazardous waste
What do I do with gas bottles?
- Swap it, even if it is out of date Swap'n'Go takes almost any 3.7 kg or 8.5 kg bottle (the standard barbecue bottle sold as 9 kg), whatever the brand, including one past its test date. It must be in reasonable condition, without dents or excessive rust, with its foot ring and neck ring intact. Other sizes are not accepted.
- Check the test date on the neck ring The test date is stamped on the bottle's neck ring. Under Australian Standard AS 2030.5 a barbecue bottle must be retested every 10 years, and one past its date must not be refilled until it is tested and restamped.
- Dropping one off for good Some council transfer stations, hazardous waste facilities and household chemical collections take gas bottles, with limits and sometimes a fee that are set locally. Check your council's or your state's drop-off finder before you go. Larger cylinders go back to the supplier.
- Camping gas canisters Use the gas up normally where that is safe, but never puncture a canister or vent it on purpose. Take it to a household hazardous waste drop-off, and check before you go that it accepts your canister, whether empty or partly full.
Cylinder testing follows one Australian Standard, AS 2030.5, so the 10-year rule is the same everywhere. Which council drop-off takes an unwanted bottle, and whether it charges, is local.
Can I swap an out-of-date gas bottle?
Yes, at Swap'n'Go. Elgas says you can swap almost any 3.7 kg or 8.5 kg bottle there, including an expired one, provided it is in reasonable condition without dents or excessive rust and its foot ring and neck ring are intact. Other sizes are not accepted.
How do I know if my gas bottle is out of date?
Look at the neck ring, where the test date is stamped. Under Australian Standard AS 2030.5, a cylinder of this size with a removable valve must be inspected and tested every 10 years.
Can I still use an out-of-date gas bottle?
Yes, until it is empty. WorkSafe Victoria says cylinders past their inspection date can still be used, sold and transported, but must not be refilled until they are tested and restamped. Filling an out-of-date or damaged cylinder is illegal.
Where do I drop off a gas bottle I no longer want?
Ask your council, or use your state's household chemical or hazardous waste finder: acceptance, limits and fees are set locally and change. In NSW, for example, the EPA lists Community Recycling Centres and Household Chemical CleanOut events; in WA, household hazardous waste facilities take most household bottles. Larger cylinders go back to the supplier.
What about small camping gas canisters?
Use the gas up normally where that is safe, and never puncture a canister or vent it on purpose. Take it to a household hazardous waste drop-off, and check before you go that the facility accepts your canister, whether empty or partly full. Never put a canister in a wheelie bin.
Why can't a gas bottle go in the bin?
It is pressurised and hazardous, and it can explode when the truck's compactor crushes it. That applies to the recycling bin as much as general waste and garden waste.
This answer is the same in every state and territory, so there is one page for it. The answers that change at the state border are listed at where does it go.