The vast majority of industrial gas cylinders in circulation in the UK are the property of the main gas suppliers. They are supplied to gas users under a rental agreement, which requires the user to pay rental on the cylinder until its return for further use. Therefore the simplest and best way to deal with cylinders which are of no further use is to identify the owner and request that they be collected. Even if the cylinders were not originally supplied to the site where they are discovered, the gas company will make arrangements to collect them.

To identify the cylinder owner may be as simple as looking at the label. In case the label is missing the owner usually has his name stamped into the metal near the top of the cylinder.

Where it is not possible to identify the owner of the cylinder it may be necessary to employ a specialist organisation that has the technical and legal capability to collect and dispose of the cylinder.

To dispose of cylinders safely requires great care. BCGA leaflet L2, 'The Safe Handling of Gas Cylinders at Waste Facilities' outlines the process to be followed.

LPG cylinders are often supplied without rental agreements. Contact with the LPGA, will provide advice on how to deal with them.

Companies who can help with cylinder recovery / disposal where the original supplier cannot be contacted are shown below.