What’s Up With That?
Guess what? California just made history! They’re the first state to ban the sale of those disposable propane cylinders. Starting January 1, 2028, you’ll only be able to buy refillable propane canisters and cylinders in California. So, here are a few questions to ask:
Is this just another crazy move from the Golden State, or is it something we should actually cheer about?
Why did they make this decision?
And what are the alternatives?
I’ll break it all down for you!
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Many folks appreciate the convenience of these compact canisters. Especially those who camp with their car, SUV, or small truck and have limited cargo space. While a larger 20# BBQ tank might be cheaper per gallon, it’s just too big and bulky to carry around. These are the folks the new ban will hit the hardest.
Why Are They Banned?
The single-use propane canister ban is not about emissions from burning or venting the fuel. It is about disposal of the canisters themselves — reducing packaging waste and promote a circular economy where products can be reused and last longer.
A new law has been added to the California Public Resources Code, focusing on waste management.
I’m sure you’ve noticed these green canisters everywhere. They’re single-use propane canisters, and they’re super handy for camping. People use them for camp stoves, grills, lanterns, and even portable heaters.
Guess what? Between 4 and 7 million of these canisters are sold in California every year!
Now, here’s the thing: unlike the smaller isobutane canisters used with backpacking stoves, these banned canisters contain propane. Propane is stored under much higher pressure than isobutane, so they need to be made of thicker containers.
The pressure in these green disposable propane canisters can range between 100 to 200 PSI (pounds per square inch).
The Disposal Problem
These disposable propane canisters are not easy to crush, unlike a isobutane canister. Plus, there is often unused propane inside discarded canisters, which is a potential fire and health hazard. The cost to separate, purge, and then recycle the metal is often more expensive than the cost to purchase a new, filled canister. A cost that is borne by everyone for the benefit of a few (those who use these canisters).
Plus, why should we put these into landfills when other, more sensible methods are available?
Which Canisters Are Banned?
I’ve been reading up on the new California law, and it seems like there’s some confusion about what’s actually being banned. Some sources say it’s all disposable propane canisters, while others say it’s just 1-pound canisters.
I have a few of these canisters in my garage, mostly for household use. I went through my cupboard and couldn’t find a single 1-pound canister. But I did have some 14.1-ounce and 16.4-ounce canisters, both of which are DOT 39 disposable canisters. One is 0.882 pounds, and the other is 1.025 pounds.
Just to clarify, these measurements are for the net weight of the propane, not the volume in the canister.
So, here’s the thing: both of these canisters contain propane, use the same specification canister defined by the United States Department of Transportation, and create the same disposal problem. It seems like common sense would dictate that both should be banned. But only the green ones are banned, not the blue ones.
Common Sense
Politicians, especially those in California, don’t exactly come to mind when I think of common sense. So, I did what any sensible person would do…
I downloaded a copy of the bill and read it.
If you’re curious, you can read it here. And guess what? It’s only two pages long!
Now, here’s the thing. Our esteemed politicians decided that the definition of propane cylinder doesn’t include something quite unexpected.
- Cylinders that are customarily designed for use in the construction industry and, when full, contain less than 15 ounces of fuel, whether filled solely with propane or not.” (Bold by me).
- Cylinders that have an overall product height-to-width ratio of 3.55 to 1 or greater.
- Cylinders that are offered to a state or local government agency for purchase pursuant to the United States General Services Administration’s State and Local Disaster Purchasing Program, or a successor program.
Hold on a sec! Why are we only exempting containers weighing less than 15 ounces? I think it might be because the smaller 14.1-ounce canisters are more commonly used in construction. I bet there was some lobbying involved during those discussions.
I used the blue canisters to solder copper water pipes (among other constructions tasks) when we remodeled our house.
Unintended Consequences
Hey, I’ve got a little surprise for you. Did you know that both the 14.1 ounce and the 16.4 ounce canisters use the same threads? They’re called CGA 600 Connections.
So Guess What?
A lot of people are going to buy the blue canisters instead of the green ones. The blue ones have 14% less fuel, but can still run a two-burner camp stove continuously for over an hour or a Weber Baby Q grill continuously for 1 – 1.5 hours.
Our Weber Q grills can use either canister. However I use bulk tanks instead.
Weber Baby Q for Camping
Weber Q2000 on our Patio
Options to Replace Disposable Propane Canisters
I quit buying those single-use canisters a long time ago. I still have a few, though – two blue 14.1-ounce canisters that are around 10 year old, and four 16.4-ounce canisters that are close to 20 years old.
Why did I make the switch? Well, the main reason was cost.
The Cost of Propane
We’ve been discussing ounces, specifically the weight of propane in ounces, not its volume in these canisters.
If you revisit the pictures of the propane canisters earlier in this article, you’ll notice that the label reads “Net Weight.” This indicates the weight of the propane in each canister.
Cost of Bulk Propane
When you buy propane in bulk, like for a standard BBQ tank, it’s sold by the gallon. But here’s the thing, it can hold more than that! A 20-pound propane tank can actually hold 5 gallons of water, which is its volume capacity. But we can’t fill it up all the way with propane because we need some space for safety reasons and for the gas to expand when it gets hot. So, the maximum amount of propane in a 20-pound tank is actually 4.7 gallons.
One gallon of LPG weighs 4.23 pounds. If we multiple the capacity of a 20# tank with the weight of a gallon of LPG, we come up with formula:
gallons X weight per gallon = weight of the LPG in the tank
4.7 gallons X 4.23 pounds per gallon = 19.88 pounds
4.7 X 4.23 = 19.88 pounds of LPG
Rounding 19.88 pounds = 20 pounds
A full propane tank weighs 20 pounds, so it’s called a 20-pound tank.
Right now, my local U-Haul Dealer is selling propane for $3.75 per gallon. Remember, one gallon weighs 4.23 pounds. If we convert pounds to ounces (16 ounces per pound), we get 67.68 ounces per gallon. So, the price of a gallon is $3.75 divided by 67.68, which is less than 6 cents per ounce of weight (5.54 cents).
Cost of Propane in Disposable Canisters
The best prices I could find today were at Home Depot (cheaper than Lowe’s and Amazon).
A 14.1 oz Bernzomatic brand canister is $5.98, which is 42.4 cents per ounce by weight.
A two-pack of 16.4 oz Bernzomatic brand propane is $10.98, which is 32.5 cents per ounce by weight.
Propane Cost Summary
14.1 ounce canister = 42.4 cents per ounce of weight
16.4 ounce canister = 32.5 cents per ounce of weight
Bulk propane = 5.5 cents per ounce
Here’s another way to look at it: the 16.4-ounce canister is almost exactly 1 pound of propane, and the 2-pack at Home Depot costs $5.49 per pound.
At my local U-Haul, they charge $3.75 per gallon, which is for 4.23 pounds of propane and comes out to 88.7 cents per pound. The 1-pound disposable canister is about 6 times as expensive.
That’s why I switched to buying propane in bulk years ago for our camping trips!
Warning About Refilling Costs
When I worked in service stations, I sold propane for years. Retailers in California often charge a minimum of 5 gallons for each tank. So, if you only need 2 gallons, they’ll charge you for 5. And if you need 6.5 gallons, they’ll charge you for 6.5 gallons. This is because it’s a labor intensive operation versus the income.
So, if you’re thinking of buying a small tank, like the one below, that holds way less than 20 pounds, you might want to get a few extra tanks. For instance, at home, we have several tanks for two outdoor grills and two outdoor stoves. We use the 20# tanks, which have a capacity of 5 gallons. But you can’t put that much propane in them because there needs to be room for expansion when the temperature rises. They actually hold around 4.6 gallons of propane. But many retailers have a minimum 5 gallon charge — so I always wait until I need to buy more than a single tank’s worth of gas.
Ignik Refillable Gas Growler Propane Tank, 3.8-Pound – White
$79.95 (as of January 12, 2025 15:45 GMT -08:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
One last thing — those 20# exchange BBQ tanks that are common now at retailers are more expensive than getting your own tank refilled, as I wrote about in, Is it a Good Deal to “Exchange” Your Propane Tanks?
Refilling Disposable Propane Canisters at Home?
Can you refill these single use (DOT 39) canisters? It certainly is possible. You can buy all kinds of adapters on Amazon or eBay to do this. This doesn’t mean it is a good idea!
These adapters are not automatic fill devices. You will need a method to determine and ensure that you do not refill is excess of 80% of the canister’s volume, which would also mean you must be able to measure how much propane might still be in the canister before refilling.
After refilling, you will also need to check the canister for any leaks. Many users report leaks afterwards, especially when refilled more than once. In many jurisdictions refilling is not illegal, however Federal law forbids transportation if refilled, with a penalty up to $500,000 fine and 5 years imprisonment (49 U.S.C. 5124).
Use Adapters/Hoses to Connect Appliances to a Bulk Tank
Most common is a hose with a 20# propane tank fitting at one end and a standard propane appliance fitting at the other. They can be bought in several lengths and materials.
Alloxity 4 Feet Propane Hose Adapter 1lb to 20lb，Propane Adapter 20lb to 1lb Converter, Propane Tank Adapter Hose 20 lb to 1 lb for Weber Q Grill/Coleman Stove/Blackstone Griddle/Buddy Heater
$11.99 (as of January 12, 2025 15:43 GMT -08:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Another popular option is the “lantern tree.” Several hoses and a propane lantern can run off of a single tank.
Flame King FK-DP2PC 3 Outlet Adapter 20 to 1LB Propane Distribution Post Pole Tree Stem Stand for Stove, Lanterns, and Camping, Black
12% Off $39.95 $35.11 (as of January 12, 2025 15:44 GMT -08:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Refillable Canisters
Guess what? You can now buy 16.4 and 14.1 refillable canisters that you can legally refill at home from a standard propane tank. Just make sure to get DOT (Department of Transportation) certified canisters, which can last for 12 years before they expire.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- full bulk tank (like a BBQ tank)
- stand to invert the tank so the liquid propane is at the bottom of the tank
- propane fill adapter
- refillable canister(s)
You can buy kits and/or individual components on Amazon and other retailers. Just make sure the canisters are DOT approved refillable.
I haven’t used these, and since I moved away from the small canisters years ago, I probably won’t need them in the future.
So, here’s how it works: the liquid propane flows down into the small canister. The canisters come with an Allen Key to open a vent valve at the top of the refillable canister. When the canister becomes full, liquid propane will come out of the vent, indicating it’s full. Once full, turn off the adapter valve, and then close the canister vent using the Allen Key. It’s similar to what you see when having your BBQ tank filled.
Make sure to read the instructions, especially for the initial fill of the canister. You’ll probably need to purge any air out of the new canister before filling — this is a one-time deal.
Flame King Refillable 1LB Empty Propane Cylinder Tank with Refill Kit and CGA600 Connection – Reusable, Safe and Legal Refill Option, DOT Compliant
$57.51 (as of January 12, 2025 15:49 GMT -08:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Flame King Refillable 1LB Empty Propane Cylinder Tank – Reusable – Safe and Legal Refill Option – DOT Compliant-16.4 oz (2-Pack), green (YSN164-2)
5% Off $44.95 $42.00 (as of January 12, 2025 15:50 GMT -08:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Final Thoughts on the Ban
I usually don’t like government rules, but some of them are actually helpful. I wish people would just stop using those disposable canisters. It’s a huge waste of space in landfills, and everyone ends up paying for it, not just the people who use them.
These disposable canisters are the most expensive way to buy propane, so it doesn’t make any sense for the person using them. The only reason they’re popular is because they’re convenient. But with the new refillable canisters, most of the convenience is still there – you just have to take the time to refill them yourself. Hopefully, people will read and follow the instructions so they don’t end up hurting themselves.