How to Dispose of Old Gasoline in Toronto, Ontario

If your Ontario-based business is one that uses a lot of gasoline-powered equipment, then part of that business is managing gasoline. Particularly, those gasoline cans your crews haul among jobsites to motivate mowers, edgers, trimmers, pruners, augers, compactors, gensets, chainsaws, heaters, and other tools of your trade.

This blog entry provides information about storing fresh gasoline, salvaging stale gasoline, and how to dispose of old gasoline in Toronto. Q&As include:

1. Can gasoline become stale?
2. How long before gasoline becomes stale?
3. How should you store fresh gasoline?
4. How does gasoline become contaminated?
5. What is a fuel stabilizer?
6. How does stale or contaminated gasoline affect engines?
7. Can stale gasoline be recycled?
8. Is it permissible in Ontario to pour old gasoline down the drain or put it in regular garbage?
9. So, how do you safely dispose of small amounts of stale gasoline?
10. How do you safely transport small amounts of stale gasoline to a Drop-Off Depot?
11. How do you get rid of gasoline in Ontario if you’re a commercial or industrial user?
12. What is a hazardous waste manifest and why is it required?
13. Where can you get help disposing of large quantities of stale gasoline in Toronto, Ontario?

1. Can gasoline become stale?

Yes, in a big way. Especially if it languishes in cans that aren’t airtight. This is because gasoline deteriorates over time when it’s exposed to oxygen. Such oxidation changes the hydrocarbons in gasoline into alcohol. These get further oxidized into aldehydes and ketones, which themselves become acids.

All of this chemical drama causes the gasoline to become less combustible, so engines will not run so well, if at all. It can also cause gummy resins to form, which can clog carburettor jets (in tools) and fuel injectors (in cars & trucks).

[BTW, when you hear your neighbour’s lawnmower revving up and down uncontrollably all by itself (called surging by small-engine mechanics), it’s probably due to bad gasoline (see source).]

2. How long before gasoline becomes stale?

Short answer: three months. Longer answer: Pure gasoline typically lasts up to six months before it begins to degrade from oxidation. Any water that finds its way into the gasoline sinks to the bottom of the can or tank. Thus, you can avoid putting water into your tool or vehicle simply by not using the last dribble of your gasoline.

But as of November 1, 2022, almost all gasoline sold across our country nowadays contains ethanol—even premium grades—due to federal and provincial regulations mandating its inclusion. Trouble is, ethanol tends to absorb water, so that water effectively becomes part of the gasoline, making it less combustible. Given this liability, it’s accurate to say that most gasoline sold at your local filling station will only last up to three months (see source).

For commercial and industrial users with larger fuel inventories, regular testing and rotation schedules are essential to prevent large quantities from becoming unusable.

(N.B. Many automotive technicians caution that you shouldn’t let your vehicle’s gasoline tank get below one-quarter full, just so the fuel pump doesn’t suck up all that water.)

3. How should you store fresh gasoline?

You can’t prevent gasoline from going stale. But you can put off the inevitable.

Using a fuel stabilizer will retard harmful oxidation (see Q.5). Another strategy is to methodically mix older gasoline with fresh gasoline. For example, if you have a four-gallon container, top it off with fresh gasoline when it’s down to one gallon. This way, the older gasoline is fortified by the newer, and contaminants are less concentrated across the mixture.

(N.B. For commercial and industrial users with larger fuel inventories, regular testing and rotation schedules are essential to prevent large quantities from becoming unusable.)

4. How does gasoline become contaminated?

Gasoline can become tainted with algae, water, rust, sediment, and/or organic matter that collects toward the bottom of its container. This is a particular danger if you store gasoline in your own tank onsite for filling individual cans.

5. What is a fuel stabilizer?

A fuel stabilizer is a solution of petroleum antioxidants and lubricants that protects the fuel as it languishes in a can or tank. It bonds with gasoline to prevent evaporation and thus prevents it from forming gummy resins.

6. How does stale or contaminated gasoline affect engines?

Firstly, when gasoline becomes less combustible (see Q.1), it contains less energy to exert upon the piston during its power stroke. This reduces engine torque. For example, your lawn mower might stop when it hits a patch of thicker grass (where normally it wouldn’t). Or your chainsaw might keep stalling while you’re trying to do your Joe Mufferaw thing.

Also, contaminants can starve an engine of gasoline by blocking the fuel filter; and those that nonetheless find their way past the filter can clog injectors (in vehicles) and carburettor jets (in tools). Additional symptoms are rough idle, surging, and generally poor performance.

7. Can stale gasoline be recycled?

Okay. Full disclosure. Hazardous Waste Experts is in the business of hazardous waste disposal. So, we admittedly have a pecuniary interest in advising you to have your stale gasoline professionally disposed of, preferably by us. But if you insist…

You can try reconditioning stale gasoline yourself. But remember, kids, gasoline is highly flammable and extremely toxic. Use caution. Work outside. Stay far away from any heat source or open flame. And bear in mind that smoking is bad for your health. All that said:

To remove foreign particles from gasoline, pour it into a new container through a coffee filter or two layers of thin cloth. (Allow the filter to fully dry, then place it in the rubbish.)

Next, pour the gasoline into a transparent container. Wait until the water settles to the bottom. Then, carefully pour off as much of the gasoline as possible, leaving the water in the original container. Add isopropyl alcohol to the reconditioned gasoline to break up any remaining water: about 12 ounces of isopropyl alcohol for every 10 gallons of gas (see source).

Of course, you wouldn’t want to pour this stuff directly into your new $6,000 Cub Cadet (or $50,000 Subaru) and just hope for the best. Instead, you must mix this reconditioned gasoline with fresh gasoline in a 1:5 ratio. Then start hoping for the best.

8. Is it permissible in Ontario to pour old gasoline down the drain or put it in regular garbage?

Don’t even think about it. Old gasoline is classified as Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and poses serious environmental and safety risks. Gasoline is highly flammable, explosive, and contains toxic chemicals that can contaminate water supplies and soil.

Disposing of old gasoline in Toronto by pouring it down drains, toilets, or sewers can damage municipal water treatment systems and harm aquatic life. Additionally, improper disposal violates Ontario’s environmental regulations and can result in significant fines for both residential and commercial users. Eh?

9. So, how do you safely dispose of small amounts of stale gasoline?

For those times when you need to dispose of old gasoline, Toronto operates Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facilities at six Drop-Off Depot locations. (See source.) They are:

• Bermondsey Transfer Station (188 Bermondsey Road)
• Commissioners Transfer Station (400 Commissioners Street)
• Disco Transfer Station (120 Disco Road)
• Dufferin Transfer Station (35 Vanley Crescent)
• Scarborough Transfer Station (1 Transfer Place)
• Victoria Park Transfer Station (3350 Victoria Park Avenue)

10. How do you safely transport small amounts of stale gasoline to a Drop-Off Depot?

On a small scale, when you need to get rid of gasoline in Ontario, be sure to:

• Only transport gasoline in approved gas cans, preferably in the open bed of pickup, or on an open trailer.
• Never put gasoline containers inside the passenger compartment of your car or truck. If the fumes don’t get you, the ensuing explosion might.
• If you must use the boot of your car (not recommended), ensure the cans are well sealed, tie them down so they don’t fall over, and remove them from the vehicle ASAP after you get to where you’re going.
• Never leave gasoline containers in a hot, enclosed space (such as in a vehicle passenger compartment or boot).
• Also, it would be a good idea to steer clear of sparks, flames, or hot surfaces.

11. How do you get rid of gasoline in Ontario if you’re a commercial or industrial user?

Toronto’s Drop-Off Depots have restrictions on commercial waste. Therefore, commercial or industrial enterprises generating larger quantities of waste gasoline should contact a licensed hazardous waste disposal company. (Might we volunteer?)  But if you want to go it alone, be aware:

• Under Ontario’s Hazardous Waste Program, commercial and industrial users might need to have a waste generator identification number, a unique identifier assigned to entities that generate hazardous waste.
• Waste manifests are mandatory for offsite disposal of old gasoline in Toronto. (See Q.12)
• Regular environmental compliance audits might be required.
• Penalties for improper disposal can exceed $100,000 per violation.

12. What is a hazardous waste manifest and why is it required?

A hazardous waste manifest is a multi-copy tracking document that follows your hazardous waste from the point it leaves your facility until it reaches its final destination for treatment or disposal. Think of it as a “birth certificate” for your waste shipment, although you probably wouldn’t want to meet the parents.

Manifests serve a dual purpose. They satisfy environmental tracking requirements under federal and provincial environmental laws, and they meet transportation safety requirements under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations. Thereby, they help authorities track waste movements to prevent illegal dumping and ensure proper disposal.

13. Where can you get help disposing of large quantities of stale gasoline in Toronto, Ontario?

Hazardous Waste Experts offers you documentable experience & expertise safely managing petroleum-based waste products throughout Ontario. We understand exactly how to get rid of gasoline in Ontario while maintaining full compliance with provincial environmental regulations and Ministry of Environment guidelines.

Our certified technicians use state-of-the-art containment and treatment facilities, ensuring that your stale gasoline is processed through proper distillation and recycling methods rather than harmful disposal practices.

For Toronto-area clients wondering where to take old gas in Toronto, we offer convenient pickup services, making responsible disposal both accessible and hassle-free.

Contact us today or call 866-430-9421.

And thank you for reading our blog!