New Regulations For Grill Propane Tanks

Summertime means good times and lasting memories. It also means barbecues and the need to refill propane tanks for gas grills. Fire Marshal Bill Halstead said residents who take their 20-pound propane tanks to a refilling station may be surprised to find that some tanks cannot be refilled because they do not have an overfill protection device (OPD).

Refilling stations do not have to refill a tank if it does not have an OPD. The OPD valve is the result of extensive research by liquefied petroleum dealers and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The purpose of the OPD valve is to prevent the tank from being overfilled. Each grilling season fire services across the country respond to thousands of calls related to overfilled propane tanks that leak or catch on fire, presenting serious safety problems.

Tanks produced after October 1998 have the OPD valve. All tanks manufactured before October 1998 to not have the OPD valve. These older tanks must be replaced.

What should residents do with their old tanks? The fire marshal said Newtown residents can drop off the old tanks free of charge at the transfer station/recycling center at the former landfill on Ethan Allen Road. The following propane supply companies will dispose of old propane tanks for a fee of $5: Leahy’s Gas, Hocon Gas Inc, Mitchell Fuel Company and Richard T. Layton Company. There also will be sites in different towns where tanks can be dropped off for the same $5 fee.

This safety message is a combined effort from the following towns and city fire marshal offices: Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, New Milford, Newtown, Southbury, Sherman, New Fairfield, Redding, and Ridgefield. The fire service strongly supports the use of OPD devices on all 20-pound propane tanks.

“We strongly encourage the proper disposal of old tanks,” said Mr Halstead. “Again we ask for your assistance in this matter.”

Newtown residents who have any questions can call the fire marshal’s office at 270-4370 or a local propane fuel supply company.