What to do with empty fuel canisters?

[TheWhiteWalker]

I have not used fuel canisters and I have not been on the AT, hope to experience both very soon. Just curious... what do you do with empty fuel canisters along the AT? I would imagine many stores along the AT sell the canisters, but I was just curious if they have a recycling program? What the norm for empty fuel canisters? Thanks.

[Sarcasm the elf]

If you puncture holes in a completely empty fuel canister the it can be dumped in any mixed metal recyling bin. I haven't hiked the whole trail, but I've found this easy to do on the portions I've hiked.

Ideally use an awl, churchkey, or if you have a knife with a can opener, that should punch through with no problem. Whatever you use, make sure to air the can out for a while before puncturing. I let my empty cans sit attached to my stove with the valve wide open for a few minutes to make sure any residual fuel has had a chance to escape.

[Lone Wolf]

just toss 'em in a trash can or dumpster

[ALLEGHENY]

After you collect three or four or more, recycle em into bear bells using extra para- cord and hanging em from your pack. Like wind chimes.

[Trailweaver]

Just please, please don't leave them at the campsite. . . I've hiked out a lot of them, and I don't use that kind of stove.

[fiddlehead]

I always just crushed them with a big rock (along with my beer cans) and dispose of in a recycle bin when I hit town.
I used to have an adapter so that I could refill them but, lost it some where along the line. (but not on a thru-hike)
Probably wasn't legal anyway.

[Starchild]

Puncturing them with improvised devices to me is too much of a risk of a stupidity injury. A church key or the jetboil device fine, but that's as far as i want to go. Will use up the gas and toss them in the trash unless their is a place to put them for recycling after proper preparation of the canister, such as hostels sometimes have.

...
I used to have an adapter so that I could refill them but, lost it some where along the line. (but not on a thru-hike)
Probably wasn't legal anyway.

I believe it is legal, but loses it's DOT certification if refilled, so you can't legally transport it by vehicle.