Diffusing an explosive cast-off
Northeast propane tank removal program takes families out of harm's way.
Old, unused propane tanks tend to linger – they are thrown under porches, hidden in basements, forgotten in garages. Yet unlike the broken chairs and ancient 8-track players they are keeping company with, old propane tanks are not benign when left unattended – they have the potential to ignite or explode.
Schnitzer Steel formed a partnership with municipalities and the New Hampshire-based company Aurjent to address this problem. Now residents of Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts can dispose of their old propane tanks for free – and stop worrying about a fire hazard in their homes.
It's a simple process. People turn in old tanks to their local municipality, and once the municipality collects 60 or so, they call Schnitzer Steel. Schnitzer's contractor, Aurjent, picks up the tanks, evacuates the unused propane, cuts the tanks in half and delivers them to Schnitzer's shredder facilities, where the tanks are recycled into scrap metal.
"This program has several benefits. It encourages the reuse and recycling of materials that otherwise would end up in landfills, and it removes potentially explosive tanks from private homes."
– Colin Kelly, Public Relations Manager, Metals Recycling Business
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