Where to take your gas bottle?

There are many different types of gas bottles, gas canisters and gas cartridges on the market today. Unfortunately, after use they do not always end up in the correct waste stream, which leads to unsafe situations at recycling parks, recycling centres, sorting facilities and incineration plants. Each type of gas involves certain safety risks. Proper handling, in a location where the necessary safety measures can be taken, is therefore crucial.

Do you have a gas bottle, gas canister or gas cartridge and are you unsure where to dispose of it? Below you will find an overview of the different types and where they can be taken. First make an important distinction: is it single-use or refillable? And if it is refillable, what is it used for?

Gas bottles, gas canisters and gas cartridges for single-use

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Single-use gas bottles and gas canisters are usually classified as hazardous household waste and should be taken to a recycling park. Others can be returned to the retail outlet where you purchased the product. Examples include: a gas canister (propane or butane) for cooking while camping, a gas bottle (helium) for inflating balloons, a gas canister (butane) used as a refill for lighters, etc.

An exception applies to small gas cartridges used, for example, for whipped cream dispensers (N2O) or for inflating bicycle tyres  (CO2). These may be sorted with PMD after use.

Using the search function, you can find your specific type of gas bottle and immediately see the correct sorting instructions.

Refillable gas bottles (butane, propane, carbon dioxide)

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There are many different types of gas bottles containing butane or propane. Most of these bottles are intended for recreational use: for barbecues, in motorhomes, caravans, etc. These refillable gas bottles must be returned via specialised dealers. All information on this can be found on the websites of Febupro (Federation of butane and propane) of Brafco (Belgian federation of fuel traders).

There are also various gas bottles containing carbon dioxide (CO2). These are used in devices for making sparkling water or soft drinks at home. A deposit is charged for these gas bottles. You can exchange them at the retail outlets that sell them.

Refillable gas bottles (industrial and medical use)

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In the industrial and medical sectors, very specific types of gas bottles are often used, such as welding gases, refrigerant gases, oxygen, etc.

These refillable gas bottle must be returned to a specialised dealer. Via the Essenscia website (Belgian federation of the chemical industry and life sciences), you can enter the type of gas bottles and find out which owner you need to contact to return these bottles.

This webpage is an initiative of Fost Plus in collaboration with the federations BRAFCO, Febupro, Essenscia, Copidec, Interafval, Propreté Brussels and the competent regional authorities. At Fost Plus, we believe it is important that all workers in the waste and recycling sector can work safely. As we are increasingly noticing gas bottles appearing in collection vehicles, transfer stations, PMD sorting centres, incineration plants, etc., we aim to provide clear information to everyone who uses gas bottles.