How can I recycle my old propane gas tank that can no longer be refilled?--Bruce Krasnow, Santa Fe Santa Fe, city, Argentina Santa Fe, city (1991 pop. 341,000), capital of Santa Fe prov., NE Argentina, a river port near the Paraná, with which it is connected by canal. , NM If you have an older propane propane, CH3CH2CH3, colorless, gaseous alkane. It is readily liquefied by compression and cooling. It melts at −189.9°C; and boils at −42.2°C;. gas tank that has been denied refilling by retailers, it is probably because it lacks an Overfilling Prevention Device (OPD OPD Tape symbol showing either the first transaction of the day in a security after a delayed opening or the opening transaction in a security whose price has experienced a large rise or fall from the previous day's closing price. ). As a of April 2002, the National Fire Protection Agency's (NFPA NFPA National Fire Protection Association NFPA National Food Processors Association NFPA National Fluid Power Association NFPA National Federation of Paralegal Associations (Edmonds, WA) ) safety code requires an OPD on every propane tank that holds between four and 40 pounds of the gas, which includes tanks normally used for grills, RVs and other devices. An OPD is part of the valve and is designed to prevent spills and release of gas during heating, which can lead to fires and injuries. All tanks produced after September 1998 are equipped with these devices. "Old propane tanks have hand wheels that are round or star shaped, while new tanks have triangular wheels with the OPD stamp," says the NFPA. For a fee, you can take your old tank to a propane dealer for retrofitting with a new valve. You can also pay a fee and exchange your old tank for a new one. If you've already purchased a new unit, or don't need to use propane anymore, there are a number of ways to recycle the old cylinders. Some dealers are able to refurbish re·fur·bish tr.v. re·fur·bished, re·fur·bish·ing, re·fur·bish·es To make clean, bright, or fresh again; renovate. re·fur and reuse reuse - Using code developed for one application program in another application. Traditionally achieved using program libraries. Object-oriented programming offers reusability of code via its techniques of inheritance and genericity. old tanks. If all else fails, the cylinders can be recycled as scrap metal at your local metal yard. CONTACT: NFPA, (617)770-3000, www.nfpa.org. Send your questions about environmental issues, from the personal to the political, to Ask E, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881, or e-mail aske@emagazine.com Please keep your questions brief Include your full name, address and a daytime phone number. |
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