Gasoline is everywhere in daily life, so it’s easy to forget how dangerous it can be. Pouring it into the environment can seriously harm wildlife. It can also hurt public health if it flows into drains and sewer systems. That’s why knowing how to dispose of old gasoline safely matters.
Old gasoline rarely causes trouble in cars and other vehicles. These machines burn through fuel fast enough that it doesn’t go stale before use. You might find old gas in a car that has sat unused for a few months or longer. But if you drive your car regularly, stale gas shouldn’t be a problem.
Stale gas shows up more often in seasonal equipment, like lawnmowers or gas-powered heaters. If you forget to drain the tank before storing it, you’ll likely face stale gas the next time you pull it out.
If you’re wondering what to do with old gas, we’ve got answers. We’ll show you which places offer gas disposal or recycling services. We’ll also share ways to recondition and reuse gasoline that seems past its prime.
How to tell if gasoline is old?
Oxidized fuel, often called “stale gas,” is pretty easy to spot. Your nose will usually tip you off first.
Old gas smells sour, kind of like rotting fruit or stale alcohol. If you smell anything besides normal gasoline when you lean in close to the gas can, you should toss that fuel.
Old gas also looks different. Fresh gas is clear and pours smoothly from the container.
Old gas turns cloudy or dark and might have clumps floating in it. If you’re not sure you can spot the color change, grab some fresh gas and compare them side by side.
If the gas is already in a lawnmower or another tool, it can be hard to do the sight and smell test. In that case, the first sign that the gasoline is old will probably show up in how the tool runs.
You might struggle to start the engine, or it might not start at all. The engine may also make a thumping sound as it tries and fails to turn over.
How to Dispose of Old Gasoline: Step-by-Step Guide
Different towns and cities often have their own rules for getting rid of harmful stuff like gasoline. Before you do anything, check with your local government to see if they have special rules for tossing out old gas.
Aside from local differences, you can usually follow the steps below to get rid of your old gasoline:
Step 1:
Pour the gasoline into a clear container so you can check it before you toss it. If the gas sat outside, it might just have water mixed in.
You don’t need a special trick to deal with gasoline that has water in it because the two will separate on their own, with the gas floating on top.
Let it sit for a bit, then carefully pour the gasoline into another container. Pour the leftover water through a rag. This will catch the last bits of gas, making the water safe to pour down the drain.
Put the saved gasoline back into the engine. You might find it works just fine. If not, move on to step 2.
Step 2:
If the gas looks dirty or won’t work, empty it into a disposable, gasoline-approved jug so you can carry it safely. You can use a funnel to make pouring easier.
Many disposal centers ask you to leave the gas can behind along with the gas, so a cheaper disposable model is often a smart choice.
Step 3:
You’ve got a few good options for getting rid of old gasoline safely:
- Recycling centers: Some cities run gasoline recycling through their recycling centers. Usually, only a few centers offer this, and they may only take gas on certain days or during specific times of the year. Call your local government to find out exactly where and when you can drop it off.
- Hazardous waste centers: These are also run by the government. The big difference is that they don’t recycle the gasoline—they just dispose of it safely. Call ahead, because some centers only accept gas at certain times, and others limit how much you can bring in at once. You might also have to pay a fee, so ask about that before you go.
- Paid disposal service: In some places, you can hire a service to pick up old gasoline right from your home. These services can be expensive, so they usually make sense only if you have a large amount of gas to get rid of.
- Community collection events: Some cities hold regular recycling events to encourage people to recycle properly. Check your local community events calendar to see if your area has one coming up and whether they accept gasoline.
- Local fire department: Some fire departments will take old gasoline for disposal. If they don’t, they can usually point you to the best option in your area.
- Auto garage: Mechanics already deal with lots of hazardous fluids, like used oil, transmission fluid, and other car fluids. Many shops will happily add your old gas to their waste stream for free. Just call first to make sure they accept it before you show up with a gas can.
Step 4:
If you can’t take the gas for recycling or disposal right away, screw the lid on tight and store the container in a cool, dim place.
Keep it out of reach of kids and pets. Old gas does not burn as well, but it is still not safe to drink. As long as the lid stays secure, you can keep old gasoline in storage indefinitely, so there is no rush if you cannot get to the disposal site right away.
As you can see, the process is simple. It comes down to knowing your options and doing your homework to find out where you can take your old gas and when.
With a little digging, you should be able to find a way to dispose of it for free, even if your city does not offer gasoline recycling.
Just as important as knowing how to dispose of gas correctly is knowing what not to do. We use gas so often that it is easy to think of it as harmless, but you should not handle it lightly, even after age has reduced its combustibility. Here are a few things you should not do when you have old gasoline:
- Don’t throw old gas in the trash. This is not only illegal, but it also creates a potential hazard. Under the right conditions, even old gasoline can start or contribute to a fire.
- Don’t pour old gasoline down the drain. Harmful chemicals like gasoline become a public health hazard when they enter the water system. This is aside from the damage they can do to animals and plants around sewage drains. One gallon of gas can pollute as much as 750,000 gallons of water, so do not tell yourself that a little bit will not do any harm.
- Don’t store gas cans outdoors. Gas cans are durable, but plastic ones can get punctured and metal ones can rust. Leaving old gas outside makes it more likely the cans will leak and seep into the environment. If you do not have a garage or basement, keep the gasoline in a closet or cabinet away from food. You can wrap it in a plastic bag if you are worried about odors or leaks.
The penalty for illegally disposing of gas can be steep and can even include jail time as well as costly fines. Even if you do not get caught, the toll on the environment can be steep. Disposing of old gasoline safely is worth the small amount of extra effort it takes.
How to dispose of an old gas oil mix
If oil is the only contaminant in your gas, you can still use it in a small engine. Mix it with fresh gas at a 1 to 4 ratio, and it should run your engine just fine.
If the gas in the mix is too old to reuse, you can dispose of it the same way you would old gas. The only difference is that you may need to dispose of it instead of recycling it.
Call your local recycling center to ask if they will recycle the mix. If they will not, any auto mechanic that accepts old gas will also dispose of old gas mixed with oil.
FAQs.
Q: Can old gasoline be used?
In some cases, yes. First, check how badly the gas has gone bad. Put a cone-shaped coffee filter in a funnel, then slowly pour the gasoline through it into a clear glass container, like a mason jar. Make sure it is something you will never use for food.
After you filter the gas, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then look at it. If it still looks cloudy or smells sour and rancid, it is past its useful life and you should dispose of it.
Otherwise, you can mix this reconditioned gas with fresh gas, using 1 part old gas to 4 parts fresh gas. The mix might not work as well as fresh gas alone, but it will still power a lawnmower or similar equipment.
Q: Does AutoZone take old gas?
No. AutoZone does not take old gasoline for disposal. Auto shops that do oil changes are more likely to offer this service.
Q: Can you dump old gas on the ground?
No. Do not dump gasoline anywhere. In the past, some people poured old gas on the ground as a cheap weed killer. That shows how strong and harmful gasoline is to the environment.
When it rains, that gasoline washes into the water supply, so the damage spreads far beyond the spot where you pour it.
Q: How long does it take gas to go bad?
If you store it properly in a metal tank or a tightly sealed plastic container, gasoline lasts up to 6 months on average.
Oxidation is the main reason gas goes bad, because the volatile compounds evaporate over time. The more you limit its exposure to air, the longer your gas will last.
Q: Do gas stations dispose of old gas?
Most gas stations do not recycle old gasoline, especially the big convenience-store chains. They sell through their gas so quickly that they rarely need disposal services.
Some small local gas stations that also run service and repair shops may offer gas disposal through that part of their business.
Q: Can I burn old gas?
Yes, old gasoline will still burn, just not efficiently enough to run an engine. Still, burning off old gas is not a safe or recommended way to dispose of it at home, because it is very hard to do safely.
Conclusion
Disposing of gasoline through proper channels is a safe and responsible choice. It takes a bit more effort to find a disposal service than to dump old gas on the ground, but it’s a small price to pay to protect the environment, and you’ll avoid potential legal trouble.
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the best way to dispose of old gasoline. There are more options out there than you probably realized.
No matter where you live or how much old gas you have, someone near you will be willing to take it off your hands.