Dear Jill,
It must be the end of the summer with all the dying BBQ grill questions out there. You can toss your dirty defunct grill into the scrap metal recycling bin located at either the Longmont or the Boulder drop-off centers. (See www.ecocycle.org/athome for locations.) There is no need to scrape off the burger grease or the tofu-kabob remains, but please be sure to remove the propane tank before you recycle it. (See the next question for recycling fuel tanks.)
To know whether an item qualifies for the scrap metal bin, you simply need to follow the three rules of scrap metal recycling. 1. Please don’t give us anything that has Freon in it, so no refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers, etc. 2. Please don’t toss in anything with hazardous material in it, so no paint cans with leftover paint, engines with motor oil in them, electronic equipment, pressurized gas containers, etc. 3. DO give us anything that is mostly metal, 50% or more. That would include your microwave, dishwasher, most toasters, old keys, metal hangers, metal lawn furniture, pots and pans, weed trimmer…the list goes on and on. If you’re not sure, you can always give us a call at 303-444-6634.
Hello Marti,
What's the scoop on small metal fuel containers? Can they be recycled somewhere?
Thanks,
Deb C.
Hi, Deb
Size matters when it comes to recycling fuel containers. Smaller, single-use canisters like those used for camping grills or lanterns are accepted at Boulder County’s Household Hazardous Waste facility located on Western Disposal’s site, 5880 Butte Mill Rd. Weather depending, the facility is open Wednesdays 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon. While you’re there you can also drop off any hazardous solvents, chemicals, cleaners, paints, etc. To get more information on what the facility accepts, call their hotline number at 303-441-4800 or visit www.bouldercountyrecycles.net.
If you have a larger, refillable tank, like one you might have taken from an old backyard BBQ grill or RV, you’ll need to take it to a location that services fuel tanks since the Household Hazardous Waste Facility will NOT accept them. You can get a list of service locations from our "Guide to Hard-to-Recycle Items."
If a fuel canister's certification has expired, they can recertify it for five years at a time until it is completely unusable. In order to be recertified, the tanks or containers must be in good condition with no excessive rust or damage.
If the tank has seen its last summer, it is recyclable, but as I mentioned, it’s a pressurized container with combustible gas inside so it is not allowed in the scrap metal bin as is. The same locations that recertify your tank can also help render it recyclable by removing the valve so that either they can recycle it or you can safely put it in our scrap metal bin. Do NOT attempt this at home. The contents are combustible and under pressure, so messing with the valve is a task best left to the professionals who have static-free tools for the job. It’s been a fun summer, let’s not end it with a recycling fiasco that literally blows up in our faces.
