FUEL
Fuel that is collected from vehicles can be reused on site. However, gasoline can oxidise (‘go off’) after some time making it unusable and should be treated as liquid waste and managed accordingly.
Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders
LPG gas cylinders are generally manufactured using plate steel and depending on the condition of the bottle, it can either be reused or recycled as scrap metal. LPG is stored inside tanks under high pressure.
Therefore, cylinders must be free of all gas and liquid before they are shredded.
Drain the gas cylinders of their gas and liquid content before they are accepted by scrap metal shredders.
Potential hazards
Due to the high-pressure nature of the gas cylinders and the flammability of LPG discarded gas
cylinders may leak and catch fire if there is an ignition/spark, explode or propel at high speed
if punctured. LPG can leak and mix with other potentially dangerous chemicals.
Storage
Until the gas cylinders are rendered safe by a trained professional, treat gas containers as full. Store such containers in:
- A secure, outside area that is well ventilated.
- Away from other hazardous material such as waste oil or equipment that may pose a risk of explosion or fire.
Degas gas cylinders by a suitable contractor or a person trained in the safe disposal method of gas cylinders. Once rendered safe, puncture and tag the cylinders to indicate they are gas-free.
The ‘gas-free’ cylinders can be stored in a separate area until collected/sent for scrap metal recovery.
Use appropriate equipment (e.g. forklift) and adhere to occupational health and safety requirements when handling gas cylinders. Gas cylinders should never be placed in landfill as they may explode or leak gas.
Fuel Tanks
Drain fuel and LPG tanks completely before they are recycled. If they are getting scrapped, puncture the tanks safely before they are sent over to the scrap metal dealer to remove any vapour build-up.
Puncturing will also provide visual verification to the scrap metal shredder that the contents of the fuel tank have been emptied. Do not fill tanks with wastewater.