6 votes

What’s a safe way to discard a almost full can of lighter fluid that’s way past expiration date?

Just found in my closet a lighter fluid (butane) can which expired in 2017. I tried charging a lighter with it but I can’t get a flame (it was working before). I don’t suppose it’s going to explode but it doesn’t seem reasonable to just throw it in the trash. What should I do?

11 comments

  1. [4]
    pseudolobster
    Link
    What I'd do is grab a large garbage bag with no holes, and a pair of pliers. Bring it outside, use the pliers to depress the valve and spray the contents of the can into the bag. Seal the bag,...

    What I'd do is grab a large garbage bag with no holes, and a pair of pliers. Bring it outside, use the pliers to depress the valve and spray the contents of the can into the bag. Seal the bag, making a big balloon. Find a stick at least 2 or 3 meters long, tie a candle to it, use the candle to ignite the gas. It'll make a really cool fireball, probably ten feet high. Make sure there's no dry grass or trees nearby.

    This will release a bunch of CO2 into the atmosphere, but it's better than releasing the butane directly, which is a more potent greenhouse gas, and is probably what a disposal facility will do with it anyway. Just be safe if you decide to try this, it'll be a very big fireball.

    That said, the butane is probably fine. There's almost nothing reactive in a can of butane, and unlike a can of gasoline no oxygen or light can reach the gas. Most brands are very pure and the contents are 99.999% N-Butane and ISO-Butane, sometimes with sulphur mercaptains added for smell in the range of parts per billion. Nothing that can react with the gas and break it down.

    The problem is likely in the valve of your lighter not being quite the same size as the valve on the can. The cans often come with a variety of adapters, and you could try one of those, or what you can try is slightly rocking the can back and forth as you fill it, which can often get the valve to open. Some gas is released when doing this though, so stay away from sources of open flame such as the pilot light on a stove.

    6 votes
    1. envy
      Link Parent
      Or.... just be safe and don't do this?

      Just be safe if you decide to try this, it'll be a very big fireball.

      Or.... just be safe and don't do this?

      3 votes
    2. vektor
      Link Parent
      Was going to say you can always use it as fuel for something. The carbon has been drilled from the crust anyway, the cat's out of the bag. No way to put it back, so put it to some use. Probably...

      Was going to say you can always use it as fuel for something. The carbon has been drilled from the crust anyway, the cat's out of the bag. No way to put it back, so put it to some use.

      Probably not a lot of ways to actually use it for much because butane is too volatile. Hard to use it as a fire starter, heating element or the like. Unless you have a valve that you could use to get a slow, steady stream of it. The jar chemist in me wants to cook something up. :D

    3. mrbig
      Link Parent
      That'd be pretty cool but I'd rather live :P The can is still my closet. But you gave me an idea: I think I'll just drop it off at the Fire Department. They must know what to do.

      It'll make a really cool fireball, probably ten feet high. Make sure there's no dry grass or trees nearby.

      That'd be pretty cool but I'd rather live :P

      The can is still my closet. But you gave me an idea: I think I'll just drop it off at the Fire Department. They must know what to do.

  2. [3]
    mat
    Link
    I'm not sure butane can expire, can it? It's not food, it won't go off. I can only assume the expiry date was put there because things have to have expiry dates. Why your lighter doesn't work I...

    I'm not sure butane can expire, can it?

    It's not food, it won't go off. I can only assume the expiry date was put there because things have to have expiry dates.

    Why your lighter doesn't work I don't know. What happens if you shake the can, do you hear liquid sloshing around?

    5 votes
    1. [2]
      Omnicrola
      Link Parent
      It can, but butane is pretty stable relatively speaking. This site says 10 years or so, but even after then you can us it, you just might have some extra gunk on your burners you need to clean :...

      It can, but butane is pretty stable relatively speaking. This site says 10 years or so, but even after then you can us it, you just might have some extra gunk on your burners you need to clean : https://outdoorcrunch.com/butane-canisters/

      Gasoline will also go "bad" if you let it sit too long. It is by nature a highly volatile hydrocarbon, and without stabilizers, will start to break down and loose some of it's more volatile compounds as it sits inactive. Typical shelf life is 3-6 months without stabilizers.

      https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-long-does-gasoline-last/

      4 votes
      1. asoftbird
        Link Parent
        Also, the ethanol added to gasoline (10% EtOH over here) attracts water, which due to the apolar/polar phase separation sinks to the bottom, where the fuel pump is. Fuel pump pumps water, things...

        Also, the ethanol added to gasoline (10% EtOH over here) attracts water, which due to the apolar/polar phase separation sinks to the bottom, where the fuel pump is. Fuel pump pumps water, things break, engine doesn't like it.
        Had this happen with fuel from an old jerrycan in the garage; it apparently contained a little bit of water which my engine really did not like. After draining it still worked though it'd permanently rev up +500rpm in idle, probably due to a valve stuck open or something.

        2 votes
  3. [2]
    asoftbird
    Link
    Don't know what it's like wherever you're from but over here you'd put this in a hazardous chemicals box and deliver it to your local recycling center once full. Same for CFL bulbs, batteries,...

    Don't know what it's like wherever you're from but over here you'd put this in a hazardous chemicals box and deliver it to your local recycling center once full.
    Same for CFL bulbs, batteries, unused medicine and other solvents.

    3 votes
    1. mrbig
      Link Parent
      Yeah... we don’t have that here at all :(

      Yeah... we don’t have that here at all :(

  4. [2]
    asoftbird
    Link
    Just for the record, you did hold the can upside down while refilling?

    I tried charging a lighter with it but I can’t get a flame

    Just for the record, you did hold the can upside down while refilling?

    2 votes
    1. mrbig
      Link Parent
      Yes, that's what the instructions say!

      Yes, that's what the instructions say!