Apr 22, 2025

By Mathew Channer

Ontario-based company Ryse Solutions is trialing a much-needed program to collect 1lb propane cylinders from marinas and properly dispose of them.

These 1lb propane cylinders are widely used on recreational vessels for cooking but there are limited resources available for correct disposal.

When 1lb propane cylinders end up in regular garbage they are not correctly de-gassed, creating hazardous waste and adding to landfill. When they are correctly disposed of, they can be safely de-gassed and recycled.

Current regulations require 30% of 1lb propane sold to be collected and recycled by the manufacturer. Ryse Solutions works with manufacturers to help them meet this target.

Ryse Solutions already runs a successful 1lb propane cylinder collection program with Ontario Parks called Orange Cycle and is seeking to replicate this in the recreational marine space.

All participating marinas have to do is store the containers until they are collected.

“We have service providers that collect the containers,” says Ryse Solutions Director of Operations Stephen Gluchowski. “We pay for transportation and collection, and we bring them to a location that processes them. It’s not going to cost the marina’s anything.”

The program is currently in a trial phase, with Ryse Solutions planning to implement the full program in time for the 2026 boating season.

“This is our way to understand volumes, work with some of the marinas, and based on that information we can widen it to a lot more marinas, if not all of them,” Gluchowski said.

“Let’s keep these containers out of the garbage dumps and have them recycled.”

Ryse Solutions welcomes enquiries from marinas interested in participating.

The company also operates collections for other hazardous and difficult to dispose of items like lighting, oil filters and batteries.

Learn more about this program and the company’s other collection programs here.