Environmentally friendly gas cans still available

Environmentally friendly gasoline containers are available to Dane County residents free when they exchange their old gas cans as part of a program funded by UW–Madison.

The exchange – being run in partnership with the Dane County Clean Air Coalition, Dane County and the city of Madison – was kicked off on June 11, when 920 of the new gas cans were distributed.

Individuals may exchange old, empty gas cans at the Clean Sweep site, 2302 Fish Hatchery Road. The site, which allows homeowners to safely dispose of hazardous waste, is open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 29.

There is a limit of two new, 2.5-gallon cans per household.

Gas cans, like those used to fuel lawn mowers and boats, emit a substantial amount of pollutants into the air that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.

In fact, the estimated 167,000 gas cans in Dane County emit roughly 1.2 tons of air pollution. That is equal to the same amount of pollution from 14,000 cars on our highways.

Unlike conventional gas cans, which can leak pollutants, the new models are designed with shutoff valves and closures that can cut the emission of volatile organic compounds – an ingredient in ozone – by 75 percent.

The university is a founding member of the Dane County Clean Air Coalition, a partnership of schools, businesses, and government agencies working together to voluntarily reduce air pollution and ensure that Dane County continues to meet state and federal air quality standards.