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Outdoor Air - Transportation: Gas Cans
Additional Information
- Health Effects of Gasoline Vapors
- Definition of Gas Cans
- Emission Reductions from Gas Cans
- Reasons to Replace Old Gas Cans
Tools and Calculators
You can help citizens reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) that may affect their families and the community by conducting these activities:
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Raise Public Awareness
How?- Create public awareness materials such as brochures, fliers, and posters that describe the air pollution impacts from gas cans and how this air pollution can be reduced.
- Maintain a booth or table at public places such as community centers, government buildings, and libraries.
- Sponsor a booth at public events such as athletic events, automobile shows, and home shows.
- Increases awareness of the need for gas cans that do not emit gasoline vapors.
- Decreases emissions from gas cans due to awareness about the need to replace old gas cans.
- Costs associated with developing education and outreach materials.
- Gas Care 2000 Program
- California Air Resources Board (CARB) fact sheet on gas cans.
- Frequently asked questions and tips about gas cans and gasoline handling.
- Example of a flier to use for gas can replacement (PDF). (1 pg, 66 KB)
Sponsor a Gas Can Exchange Program
How?- Determine if your area could benefit from a gas can exchange program. One way would be to contact your state or local air quality agency. They may be able to tell you if gasoline emissions from gas cans are a problem in your area.
- Create and publicize an event that would offer the public a chance to turn in their old gas cans for new ones that do not emit gasoline vapors.
- Your state or local air quality agency may be able to provide technical and logistical assistance.
- Reduces gasoline air emissions by 75% (Clean Air Counts).
- Reduces emissions by 8.5 tons per year (tpy) for 2.5-gallon gasoline replacement can and 4.8 tpy for 5-gallon gasoline replacement can. (Cleveland Air Toxics Pilot Project).
- The estimated pollution reduction per CARB-compliant gas can is 0.02025 pound (lb) VOC per day (7.39 lb per year) (Cleveland Air Toxics Project).
- Cost of new gas cans range from $6 to $11 more than a standard gas can. Assuming a 5-year life expectancy per gas can, this amounts to an additional $1.20 to $2.20 per year (Clean Air Counts).
- Funding needed to implement a gas can exchange program.
- Press release from a gas can exchange program in Denver.
- Gas can exchange program information from Clean Air Counts.
- Clean Air Counts listed Blitz USA, Briggs and Stratton, and Wedco as potential vendors for improved gas cans.
Work to Develop Gas Can Regulations
How?- Work with state and local air quality agencies to determine what regulations are needed for gas cans. They may have access to data that would build a case for gas can regulations.
- Present your findings to state or local lawmakers and encourage them to consider creating laws that would place requirements on gas cans.
- Reduces gasoline vapor emissions.
- CARB predicted that adoption of gas can regulations in California would result in a 73% reduction in reactive organic gases (CARB).
- Time to meet with state and local air quality agency staff and with state or local lawmakers.
- Costs associated with hiring technical experts for data analysis.
- Learn more about CARB's gas can regulations.
- Gas can regulations in Pennsylvania.
- The Denver area developed a Potential EAC Control Strategy Recommended for Further Consideration (PDF). (19 pp, 41 KB)