Found a CO2 cylinder after retiring a soda maker, aquarium, or paintball setup? It may still hold pressure, so return it through the brand or gas supplier whenever possible.
The right route depends on the cylinder’s owner, size, condition, and contents. A recycler must confirm that it accepts pressurized cylinders before you bring one in.
Choose the Safest Route
| Cylinder | Next step |
|---|---|
| Known, sound refillable cylinder, empty or full | Return or exchange it through the brand, owner, or gas supplier. |
| Disposable cartridge | Follow the manufacturer and local solid waste instructions. |
| Damaged, leaking, badly rusted, or unidentified cylinder | Keep away, avoid moving it, and call the supplier, fire department, or hazardous materials office. |
Look for a brand name, owner mark, model, and service-pressure markings. Do not assume a cylinder belongs to you merely because it was left on the property.
Return or Exchange Refillable Cylinders
Many beverage and industrial cylinders stay in a supplier’s circulation system. The supplier can inspect, refill, retire, or recover its own cylinder.
For example, SodaStream’s US return page accepts its cylinders through participating retailers or customer care, including full cylinders.
Other brands have different programs. Use the contact details printed on the cylinder or the manufacturer’s current US support page.
A welding-gas or beverage-gas supplier may accept another refillable cylinder, but call first. Ask whether it must be empty, capped, in test, or owned by that supplier.
Do Not Prepare a Cylinder for Scrap Yourself
Do not press the valve with a tool, vent a full cylinder, remove the valve, drill a hole, flatten it, or cut it in half.
PHMSA warns that cylinders reaching recyclers with compressed gas still inside can cause serious injury, death, or major property damage.
Read the PHMSA cylinder safety alert before considering a scrap route. Let the supplier or recycler decide how a cylinder becomes safe for processing.
Never place a cylinder in curbside recycling unless your local program names that exact cylinder type and gives preparation instructions.
Store and Transport a Sound Cylinder
- Close the valve if it is designed for normal hand operation.
- Replace the protective cap when the cylinder has one.
- Keep the cylinder upright and secure it against falling.
- Keep it away from heat, flames, and enclosed passenger spaces.
- Follow the supplier’s packaging and transport instructions.
Do not transport a leaking, fire-damaged, badly corroded, or unidentified cylinder without professional direction. Shipping compressed gas can trigger federal carrier and packaging rules.
Handle a Leak or Suspected Release
Carbon dioxide has no color or odor and can cause asphyxia at high concentrations. NIOSH lists headache, dizziness, breathing difficulty, coma, and convulsions among exposure symptoms.
Move into fresh air and call 911 from a safe place. Do not re-enter a confined space to close a valve or retrieve the cylinder.
Keep others away and tell responders that the cylinder may contain carbon dioxide. A label or clear photo taken from a safe distance may help identification.