Waterford signs on to regional cylinder-collection program to remove metal gas tanks from waste stream

The Waterford Board of Selectmen on Feb. 10 authorized a collective site services agreement enabling the town to accept and recycle metal gas cylinders through a regional contractor endorsed by the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority (SCARA).

Public works presenter Gary described the program as similar to existing takeback programs for mattresses and paint: manufacturers cover disposal through an added fee, the town places full cylinders in 55-gallon drums and a contractor inspects, makes tanks gas-free and transports them for recycling. “The contractor then takes a look at them, sorts them out, make sure that they're gas-free, and then…in most cases will recycle these products,” Gary said. He added that traditional grill tanks are not part of this program and will continue to be handled by a different vendor at the transfer station.

Gary said the program requires little town effort beyond placement, monitoring and recordkeeping; when a drum is three-quarters full staff will call the contractor to swap it. He estimated current public inquiries about cylinder disposal run roughly five to 10 times a year but said the program will allow safer handling and reduce cylinders in the waste stream.

Selectmen asked how other towns have implemented the program and whether SCARA endorsement would be documented; Gary said SCARA’s endorsement appears in meeting minutes of the authority and that member towns must sign separate agreements. The board voted to authorize the agreement.

Staff will advertise the program’s accepted items and continue to exempt small CO2 cartridges used in some devices and standard grill tanks from this program. Follow-up tasks include signage, resident outreach, tracking volumes and coordinating pickup with the contractor.