Classifying the cylinders as hazardous waste, as many large organizations do and some states require, seems to be the trend. In general, calibration gas can create confusion when it comes to determining exactly what the cylinder contains (whether empty or full). Key questions that companies are asking include:

Are the contents hazardous?

When empty, is toxic residue in the cylinder?

Is there still remaining pressure in the cylinder?

Is the empty cylinder defined as “hazardous” by state or local governments?

In most cases the answers to these questions are hard to find by simply searching through CFRs, and are therefore usually left to a consultant. Most companies don’t spend the time to further investigate. Oftentimes, the option is to hire an environmental contractor to haul the cylinders off for a fee. Perception is reality.

For gases that can be recycled, we utilize only a few, select firms that use the cylinder contents as a raw ingredient in an industrial process or as a substitute for a commercial material. After the gases are treated or recycled, PCI purges, rinses and decommissions the empty cylinders. All cylinder markings are reclaimed for their metal value.