Keep the can closed
Old gas from a mower, a generator, or a rusty can is household hazardous waste. Leave it in an approved fuel container if you have one, with the cap tight and the can upright. If the original can leaks, ask the HHW program how they want a leaking container packaged before you travel. Do not pour gasoline into a storm drain, a sewer, a gravel driveway, or a trash bag. Do not pour it on a burn pile. Do not set a pan of gas in the sun to evaporate. Vapors catch fire and the residue still has to go somewhere. Store the can away from water heaters, pilot lights, and children's reach.
Call the HHW program about fuel
Household hazardous waste collections commonly accept gasoline from residents, sometimes with a limit on how much you may bring. Call and ask about that limit, about mixed fuel, and about whether a can of two-stroke mix is included. Tell them if the gas is old, varnished, or contaminated with water or oil. Do not combine gasoline with solvents, pesticides, or used motor oil to save a trip. A contaminated can may still be accepted, but staff need to know before you pour it into their tank. A regular landfill trash bay is not the fuel program.
Transport a small, stable amount
Put the can in the truck bed or in a well-ventilated cargo area, secured so it cannot tip, out of direct sun if you can. Do not haul a sloshing open bucket in the passenger seat. Do not smoke. At the event, leave the can in the vehicle until staff ask for it. Many programs do not want you to pour fuel yourself. If they refuse the container, take it home. Do not abandon a gas can at the gate of a transfer station after you were told the site does not take liquids.
Before you go
- Keep gasoline in a closed, approved container.
- Do not dump, burn, or evaporate it.
- Call the household hazardous waste program and ask about fuel limits.
- Transport the can upright and follow staff instructions at the collection.
Pouring old mower gas along the fence to kill weeds.
Questions people ask
Can I mix old gas into a full tank of a car?
Do not dose a vehicle with varnished or water-contaminated fuel to get rid of it. Ask the HHW program. A mechanic can advise on fuel that is still usable, which is different from disposal.
What about the empty gas can?
If it is sound, keep it for legal fuel storage. If it is rotten or the program tells you to leave it, follow the program. An empty can that still smells of gas is not ordinary recycling.
Search Dumpmapper by ZIP code or city, then call the site before you load the truck. Hours and accepted materials change.