Non-refillable Cylinder Recycling:

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• Non-refillable Cylinder Recycling
• Worthington Cylinders Perspective

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About Worthington Cylinders

• Leading global producer of pressure cylinders
• Division of Worthington Industries
• Ten manufacturing facilities in North America and
  Europe

Portugal Czech Republic Austria
Pomona, California Columbus, Ohio Westerville,
Ohio Jefferson, Ohio New Albany,
Mississippi Chilton, Wisconsin Tilbury, Ontario
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Worthington Recent Recycling Activities

• 2002 - 2004 Participant Propane Tank Summit.
• 2005 Co-Sponsor mobile cylinder recovery and
  recycling trailer.
• Over 19,000 tons of steel is projected to be
  recycled by Worthington Cylinders plants in North
  America in 2009.
• Sponsor of public recycling initiatives.
• Engineering staff actively pursuing safe
  convenient recycling program for non-refillable
  cylinders.
• Engaged in exploratory activity with a major
  retailers to identify potential cylinder
  recycling paths that would be easily accessible
  for consumers.

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Disposable Cylinders Product Descriptions

• Portable, convenient fuel gas source contained in
  small steel cylinder.
• Portable, helium gas source for balloon
  inflation.
• Portable, refrigerant recovery and collection
  cylinder primarily used in the commercial HVAC
  industry.
• Cylinders are manufactured and shipped in
  accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation
  regulations.
• Cylinders are not intended for re-use.
  Regulations prohibit the transportation of
  cylinders that have been refilled. NFPA 58
  prohibits refilling of disposable cylinders.

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Product HistoryDisposable propane

• Developed in the early 1950s for use with
  portable hand torches for heating, soldering,
  brazing.
• Used with camping appliances such as heaters,
  lanterns and stoves beginning early 1970s.
• Two disposable cylinder manufacturers
• Worthington Cylinders Chilton, WI facility since
  2005. Prior to 2005, Western Industries operated
  the facility, dating back to the early 1960s.
• Coleman Company facility in Wichita, KS

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Todays RealityNon-refillable Disposable Gas
Cylinders

• Tens of millions of fuel gas cylinders are sold
  annually. Well over half are used outdoors in
  camping related activities.
• Up to 30,000 tons of potentially recyclable
  material is discarded each year. (At roughly 1
  pound of steel per unit)
• Most jurisdictions governing solid waste allow
  general disposal on non-refillable cylinders.
• Handling and recovery activity must comply with
  federal and state regulations and procedures
  (DOT, DNR, OSHA, EPA and local fire officials).
• Controls are necessary to assure safety and
  environmental responsibility in the workplace,
  community and during transportation.

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Todays Disposal Methods

• Government organized Clean Sweeps
• Local Household Hazardous Waste drop off
  locations
• Private service companies specializing in safe
  recovery and recycling
• State Park drop points
• Household trash for curbside pickup
• Littering or other improper disposal

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Future Disposal Methods

• Manufacturer take back?
• Curbside collection?
• Retail take back?
• Household Hazardous Waste?
• Private entrepreneurs and cylinder recertifier
  locations?
• Exchange facilities?
• Other

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Exercise

• Define the pros and cons of each potential
  disposal path.

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Manufacturers Take Back
Possible Options Manufacturers take back Curbside
collection Retail take back Household hazardous
waste Private entrepreneurs and cylinder
recertifier locations Exchange facilities

• Pros
• Regulatory understanding
• Product knowledge

• Cons
• Few locations
• Increased cost

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Curbside Collection
Possible Options Manufacturers take back Curbside
collection Retail take back Household hazardous
waste Private entrepreneurs and cylinder
recertifier locations Exchange facilities

• Cons
• Potentially unsafe
• Product education
• Haz-Mat transportation
• Un-regulated industry
• Employee/community safety

• Pros
• Very convenient
• Current programs exist for non-hazardous waste

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Retail take back
Possible Options Manufacturers take back Curbside
collection Retail take back Household hazardous
waste Private entrepreneurs and cylinder
recertifier locations Exchange facilities

• Cons
• Increased complexity
• Lack of regulatory knowledge
• Public safety
• No Haz-Mat transportation
• Increased cost

• Pros
• Retailer controlled
• Convenient

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Household Hazardous Waste
Possible Options Manufacturers take back Curbside
collection Retail take back Household hazardous
waste Private entrepreneurs and cylinder
recertifier locations Exchange facilities

• Cons
• High cost to manage
• Limited budget
• Inconvenient locations
• Limited bulk transportation ability
• Dependent on private service industry

• Pros
• Current programs established

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Private Entrepreneurs Cylinder Recertifier
Locations
Possible Options Manufacturers take back Curbside
collection Retail take back Household hazardous
waste Private entrepreneurs and cylinder
recertifier locations Exchange facilities

• Pros
• Established processes
• Understanding of safety requirements
• Educated employees

• Cons
• Few locations
• Lack funding
• Inconsistent recovery methods to reduce cost
• Lack haz-mat transportation fleet

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Exchange facilities
Possible Options Manufacturers take back Curbside
collection Retail take back Household hazardous
waste Private entrepreneurs and cylinder
recertifier locations Exchange facilities

• Pros
• Convenient drop locations
• Developed infrastructure requirements
• Currently recovering and recycling larger
  cylinders
• Educated staff
• Safety understanding
• Experience with flammable gasses

• Cons
• Operating cost

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Conceptual Disposable Cylinder Life Cycle
Manufacturer
Recycler
Retailer
Convenient Drop Points
Consumer
Hazardous
Recovery
Transportation
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Summary

• Worthington Cylinders has been actively pursuing
  convenient options for non-refillable cylinder
  recycling.
• Consulting with recycling industry experts.
• Traveling North America and European facilities
  to define best practices for recycling and
  recovery.
• Supporting activities at National Parks to
  maintain a clean environment.
• Working with state and local agencies to initiate
  and research pilot programs.

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Next Steps

• Define the details of a recovery and recycling
  program.
• Develop criteria for a pilot program.
• Understand risk and rewards.
• Understand the economics of a program.

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