Governor Newsom Signs Legislation Requiring Propane Cylinders Sold in the State to be Refillable or Reusable

SACRAMENTO – Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the signing of Senate Bill 1280 authored by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz). SB 1280 will promote sustainable outdoor recreation by requiring one-pound propane cylinders sold in California to be reusable or refillable starting January 1, 2028.

“I’d like to thank Governor Newsom for signing Senate Bill 1280 that will promote sustainable outdoor recreation, reduce the costs of managing and properly disposing of propane cylinders, and reduce hazards to workers by requiring propane cylinders sold in the state to be reusable or refillable,” stated Senator Laird. “For years these propane cylinders have placed a great burden on our park systems, beaches, material recovery facilities, and local governments. With the signing of SB 1280 the taxpayers will no longer be responsible for cleaning up someone else’s mess. Signing SB 1280 will result in more reusable propane cylinders for consumers to refill which will lead to a cleaner and safer California.”

Approximately 40-60 million of these single-use, one-pound propane cylinders are sold in the United States annually. California accounts for more than 10% of the population of the United States, so we can safely estimate that somewhere between 4 and 7 million single-use, one-pound propane cylinders are sold in California each year. For local jurisdictions to properly dispose of these, it can cost as much as $65 per cylinder. These small one-pound propane cylinders are the only ones sold as single-use. All other propane cylinders 5 gallons (20 lb.) or larger have always been refillable and designed and marketed for refilling. Disposable propane cylinders are also problematic from a safety perspective. In most situations, knowing whether a cylinder is completely empty is impossible. Suppose a cylinder ends up at a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) with complex machinery that separates materials. In that case, there is a risk of explosion that could cause injury to personnel and damage to infrastructure. This partly contributes to the exorbitant cost of collecting and recycling these cylinders. To be safely recycled, each cylinder must be evacuated and punctured using special equipment to ensure they are safely processed.

“SB 1280 has just been signed into law in California starting the nearly four-year clock to transition consumers away from the wasteful non-environmental single-use 1 lb. propane cylinders to the safer and more sustainable alternatives offered by readily available refillable/reusable ones”, says Doug Kobold, Executive Director of the California Product Stewardship Council. He added, “As the proud sponsors of SB 1280, our sincere appreciation goes out to Governor Newsom for signing this important bill into law. Additionally, this would not have even been possible without the dedication and perseverance of Senator Laird and his talented staff.”

Senate Bill 1280 is supported by local governments, waste management authorities, and firefighters. It has also received bipartisan support in the legislature. Lastly, SB 1280 will go into effect January 1, 2028.