Where in Hudson Valley Can You Legally Dispose of Helium Tanks?

So you are done with the balloons and now you have an empty tank that is taking up room somewhere in the house and you want it G O N E! What can you do with it? Is it something that can simply be put in the trash? Do you need to put it in the recycling because it appears to be metal?

Or do you have to take it to a special place, pay a few dollars, and get rid of it that way just so you won't feel like you are a criminal? Here is what I found out about getting rid of those helium tanks. Read on, there are pictures of helium balloons too!

Can you just put the empty helium tanks in the trash? Or do you need to do something else with them?

Technically you can put them in the trash or give them to a person that recycles metal scrap. Please note, that I did not say you can put them in the recycling pick-up that comes to your house every week or so.

If you hand the tank to a metal scrapper then you probably won't have to do anything to it, just hand it over and they will do the rest, but if you are getting rid of it by putting it in the trash, there is something you need to do first. Before you go any further, ask the place where you bought the tank if they take them back. 

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READ MORE: Are Helium Balloon Releases Illegal in New York State? 

What do you need to do to a helium tank before you can get rid of it?

Before you can toss that tank you will need to make sure that it is empty. Open the valve on the tank and then press the filler house down to allow the remaining (if any) helium to escape. Once that has been done, you will need to use a small wrench to unscrew the white nut that holds the filler. Essentially you are taking the filler tube off. Then according to the recycling center, you also need to take the pressure relief valve off the tank. That can get a little more complicated, but you will need protective eyewear for that. Then get a flathead screwdriver under the round metal relief valve disk, and remove it. Lastly, you will need to mark with a magic marker in big letters on the tank EMPTY. When you have done this, you can put it in your trash, or take it to your recycling center.