They can't be treated as scrap metal- there will always be residue of the substance inside.

You would be better off contacting a licensed waste contractor who will drop you a 205l drum, or similar, for you to fill. At my last place we used Safety Kleen with no problems- other suppliers are available.


Hope this helps

Andy

Dependant on the amount of hazardous waste you produce you may need to register as a waste producer as well.

http://www.environment-a.../topics/waste/32198.aspx

Andy

They were UN approved drums with a removable head- a metal clasp secures them. Perfectly OK for gas cylinders.

As Chris says, a descent company will advise.

Andy

We currently use safety Kleen for waste paint and cylinders

Regards

PaulR

As I wasn’t familiar with the name/term MAPP on seeing this thread, I’ve since done some internet delving to find out more. According to one website, MAPP gas is the trademarked name for a fuel gas derived from its original chemical composition: methylacetylene-propadiene propane. Though it is notably more expensive than acetylene, it is widely regarded as a safer and easier-to-use substitute for acetylene. Furthermore, it seems that nowadays products with the name ‘MAPP’ are in fact MAPP substitutes comprising stabilised liquified petroleum gas (LPG) with high levels of propylene.

Acetylene cylinders require special precautions even when nominally empty because some acetylene may remain present within the porous compound inside such cylinders. By contrast it seems from earlier responses that MAPP gas cylinders do not contain any compound or residues and thus become totally empty containers when their contents have been fully used up. If so, steve1603’s advice about obtaining and using a key to remove the valves from empty cylinders seems to be the best option, not least to avoid the cost and other implications of having to dispose of the cylinders as hazardous waste. Strict arrangements would be needed obviously to ensure that the valves are removed from all cylinders before they are taken away as scrap metal.

There might be another approach to this matter. I understand that suppliers of tubes for fluorescent lights are either obliged by law or choose to take back spent tubes from industrial/commercial customers. Can anyone advise if there is any similar system for spent MAPP gas cylinders? If not, and especially if there are different suppliers of MAPP gas, perhaps there’s scope for their customers to press for such a system! Has anyone tried this approach with MAPP cylinders or indeed any other containers which are not designated as refillable?