For many people, the fact that gas “goes bad” is a surprise. It indeed does get too old to be effective after a while, at which point it’s best to throw it out. But if you didn’t know gas goes bad, it may be even more of a surprise to find that you can’t just throw it in the trash or pour it down the drain! You have to dispose of it in a way that is safe for the planet and the people on it. So if you’re looking to get rid of fuel you can no longer use, check out some tips on how to dispose of old gas the safe way.
Determine If Your Gas Is Too Old to Use
Your first step should be to find out if your gas is old. Maybe it’s been sitting in your lawnmower for a few months, and you’re wondering if you can still use it. To find this out, pour a little bit into a clear container. Take another clear container and fill that with fresh gas so you can compare the two. If the older gas has a bit of a sour smell or looks much darker than the new gas, it’s probably not good anymore.
After all, when gas sits in a tank or can for several months, it starts to degrade enough that it might not even be able to start your lawnmower, let alone a car. Granted, you may be able to use it still by adding some new gas to it. For example, you can take the new gas and pour it in the tank until it’s about three-fourths full, and then top it off with old gas. If you do this, consider putting in a fuel additive to improve the gas quality.
That being said, in some cases, the gas is too old to use at all. If you see any signs of dirt or rust in the old gas, don’t put it in your tank. You don’t want to risk damaging your fuel system. Instead, you need to focus on finding out how to dispose of the old gas safely.
Look for a Disposal Center in Your City
Most cities have at least one hazardous waste center where you can dispose of old gas. You just need to find one, which you can do by visiting a site like Earth911 and putting in your zip code. You can also call the fire department in your area to find out where they would suggest bringing the old gas.
Once you find a spot to dispose of old gas, it’s time to put it in a container that’s safe to use. It has to be a government-approved container for gas, such as a plastic gas can. Use a funnel to pour the gas into it, making sure not to inhale the fumes or get any gas on your hands or clothing.
Then drive the old gas to the hazardous waste location nearest you. Take care not to let it spill in your car, and do not smoke on the way there! Once you arrive, you can simply pour the old gas into the designated spot, and then bring your gas can home with you.
Dumping your old gas just anywhere is bad for the environment, as it can contaminate water or even result in a fire. So make sure you dispose of it safely every time! But it’s even better if you can avoid ending up with old gas in the first place. You can do that by adding fuel stabilizer to your gas before you store any vehicles or outdoor power equipment for more than a month or so. This way, you can save yourself a trip to the hazardous waste center while also ensuring your gas is like new even a few months from now.
We all have them. Gas cans that have been sitting around for god knows how long. And in the bottom of that gas can is a salvagable amount of gasoline.
But then you realize just how old that gas is and come to terms with the fact that your just going to have to get rid of it. But what do you do with old gas in a gas can?
In this article, I’m going to lay out a few different things you can do to properly dispose of that old gasoline.
If you think that the old gas you’ve got stored in that gas can is beyond rejuvenating, and it is too old to mix with new gasoline, you need to dispose of it.
And as you know, even old gasoline is highly combustible and can be very dangerous to you and to the environment. So you need to dispose of the gas safely.
Here’s how.
Check Local Ordinances
First, you need to check your local city ordinances and the laws of surrounding areas. These rules will let you know how (and where) to legally dispose of old gasoline.
Hazardous Waste Disposal Center
Next, you can use a site like Earth911 to find local recycling centers that might take the fuel. If a recycling center is not available, you can contact waste disposal sites, or possibly the local fire station. A garage or vehicle service center might take the gas as well. If you are having trouble finding a location, contact your local government, and they should be able to help.
Once you know where to take the old gas, you will need to put it into a proper storage container for transportation. Commercially available gas cans are safe to use as long as you make sure that they won’t spill as you drive.
Call ahead to make sure the facility is ready and able to accept old gasoline and follow any additional instructions that they require. If you are lucky, you might find a local facility that will pick up the old gas for a small fee.
Fire Department
There are some towns and fire districts throughout the country that are willing to take old gasoline and dispose of it for you or even repurpose it. Of course, this depends on the specific fire department and what their policies are.
If your needing to do something with your old gas, it might be worth a quick phone call to your local fire department. Even if they don’t take gasoline themselves, chances are they’ll know where you can take it.
Mix to Rejuvenate
If you don’t think the gas is too old and still might have a chance at being useable, then it might be worth trying to mix it with fresh fuel to try and rejevenate it.
Simply mix the old gas with new gas from the gas station at a 1-to-3 or 1-to-4 ratio. Personally, I wouldn’t use it in my car unless it was an emergency, but you can try using this rejuvenated blend in our lawnmower or other small engine. It probably wouldn’t hurt to add a fuel stabilizer to or other fuel additive to it as well, just as an extra precaution.
How To Know When Gas Is Old
In reality, it’s pretty difficult to know how old gas is. But there are a couple of things you can do to do to check.
Color
First thing you can do is check the color of the gas compared to new fuel. As gasoline ages, it tends to become darker in color. To do this, simply pour a small sample of the old gas into a mason jar. Do the same with the new gas. Now you can see the color clearly.
Smell
Sometimes the smell of gas can also be tell tale sign that it’s past it’s now old. As gasoline ages it begins to break down. This process of deterioration can sometimes give off a foul odor. If you detect a sour scent or it smells spoiled, the gas has probably gone bad.