Californians regularly use 1 lb. propane gas cylinders for outdoor grills, heaters, and lighting, and can now save money by buying and refilling reusable 1 lb. propane cylinders in Santa Cruz County. On May 26, 2023, from 10am – 2pm, Santa Cruz County residents are eligible to receive a FREE reusable 1lb. propane cylinder when visiting the Buena Vista Landfill in Watsonville, CA. Participants must be a Santa Cruz County resident to participate.
“Events like this one will help our residents make the switch from single-use to refillable propane cylinders and that could make a world of difference to our future waste stream,” said Departmental Administrative Analyst Beau Hawksford, from the Santa Cruz County Community Development & Infrastructure Department. Californians use more than an estimated four million single-use cylinders each year. When purchasing a single-use 1 lb. propane cylinder, approximately 80% of the cost is for the package. Reusable cylinders can be refilled more than a hundred times and can last for more than 10 years. After the initial purchase of the cylinder, customers can simply pay for the gas refill when empty or take the empty cylinder back to the nearest exchange location to swap out the empty reusable cylinder for a filled reusable cylinder.
Propane cylinders are designated by the State of California as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and are illegal to be thrown away in the trash. They must be taken to a designated drop-off facility or collection receptacle, costing Santa Cruz County residents to recycle each cylinder. Single-use cylinders that are not taken to local HHW facilities and are disposed of improperly can cause harm to the environment, while reusable 1 lb. propane cylinders can be refilled over and over again and properly recycled after years of use.
The County of Santa Cruz is promoting the award winning ReFuel Your Fun & $ave! Campaign, which encourages the use of reusable 1 lb. propane cylinders over the costly and wasteful single-use cylinders. The campaign also educates about proper collection and recycling of 1 lb. propane cylinders. For more information about the ReFuel Your Fun Campaign, recycling empty cylinders, and to find more retailers offering reusables, visit www.refuelyourfun.org. This program is funded by a grant from CalRecycle.