Gas bottles and cylinders
Gas bottles and cylinders must not go in your household recycling, general waste or garden waste bins. They are pressurised, hazardous and can explode if compacted. This includes disposable helium party balloon cylinders, even if they show a recycling symbol.
Disposal options
- Drop off empty gas bottles and similar small gas cylinders (up to 9 kg) for free (maximum 10) at:
- This includes:
- Disposable helium party balloon cylinders
- Nitrous oxide baking gas cylinders
- Empty old or damaged BBQ gas bottles up to 9 kg (that cannot be exchanged)
- SodaStream and other CO₂ cylinders (exchange through retailers where possible)
- camping gas cartridges and butane cans
- Small CO₂ bulbs used for bicycle pumps or cream chargers (too small for safe processing and can damage sorting equipment if not empty).
- Use a gas bottle exchange service to swap your empty bottle (up to 9 kg) for a full one at most service stations and hardware stores.
- Return gas bottles over 9 kg (including 45 kg household cylinders) back to your gas supplier.
- Return industrial welding gas cylinders (such as argon, acetylene or mixed shielding gases) back to your gas supplier.
- Arrange testing or decommissioning of scuba diving tanks through a dive shop. If they are permanently out of service, make sure they are depressurised and dispose of them through a specialist or scrap metal service.
- Automotive LPG tanks and forklift LPG cylinders are not accepted at the Resource Management Centres. Contact a licensed gas supplier for safe degassing and disposal.
Additional information
- Gas bottles and cylinders contain recoverable metal and components that can be safely recycled when disposed of through approved drop‑off points.
- Gas bottles and cylinders are pressurised and can explode if crushed or punctured, creating fire and injury risks at waste facilities.
- Even when empty, they may contain residual gas that is hazardous if mishandled.
- Automotive LPG tanks remain pressurised and require licensed specialists to degas them. They cannot be accepted at Resource Management Centres or transfer station metal recycling areas.
Related items
This may include helium gas bottles; bbq gas bottles; helium party balloon bottles; large gas bottles; shell gas bottles; LPG; liquid petroleum gas; hazardous waste; butane cylinders; butane gas canisters; gas canister; cream gas; sodastream; CO2 bulbs; CO2 canisters; CO2 cartridge.