Returning Specialty Gas Cylinders
National and international shipping authorities define all specialty gases that are shipped in gas cylinders as being “hazardous materials.” Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of those transporting gas cylinders as well as the safety of the public at large, certain government restrictions and regulations apply whenever gas cylinders are shipped from one location to another. The following steps will assist you in returning empty Air Liquide refillable cylinders and will help ensure adherence to all applicable laws. Consult shipping regulations for your country prior to offering materials for shipment. For further information, please contact us.
Shipping Responsibilities
- Empty, refillable cylinders from Air Liquide should be returned to the original shipping location (identified by the tag or label affixed to the cylinder). Contact your representative to determine if your company is located within the delivery area where pick-up is made by an Air Liquide truck. To expedite your phone call, have your Air Liquide serial numbers ready as well as the last cylinder contents.
- Once you have determined the original Air Liquide shipping location, you can return empty cylinders to Air Liquide via common carrier. Your representative can assist you in determining the best carrier for shipping the cylinders.
- Gas cylinders must be returned freight prepaid. An Air Liquide facility cannot accept return cylinders freight collect without prior authorization.
- Air Liquide does not offer partial credit for unused gas in an Air Liquide cylinder per our strict quality and safety procedures. Contact your representative for more information.
- Electronic and Poisonous Gases
For semiconductor or poisonous labeled cylinders, contact the Air Liquide Shipping Manager at the facility nearest your location for details on proper shipping procedures.
- SCOTTY™ Cylinders (Nonreturnable and Lecture Bottles)
Air Liquide does not accept the return of these types of cylinders.
Preparing for Shipment
Before returning, check your cylinders for the following:
- Be sure CGA outlet dust caps (if supplied) are in place before securely screwing valve caps onto top of cylinders. Please note that all cylinder caps are not interchangeable. You are responsible for the care and condition of refillable and returnable cylinders while at your facility, as well as damage to the cylinders themselves, cylinder caps and fittings that occur while in your care.
- All labeling or markings on the cylinders must be legible. The shoulder labels on the cylinder provided by Air Liquide should NOT be removed from the cylinder as they identify the cylinder gas contents.
- All cylinders should be returned with at least 50 psig (3 bar) positive pressure to avoid contamination of the cylinder. Ensure the valve is closed during shipping.
- It is important to treat empty cylinders the same as you would if they were full and use all precautionary measures practiced when handling full cylinders.
Preparing the Documentation
A bill of lading needs to be prepared for the cylinders being returned. Contact your Air Liquide representative for a sample. The following is required by the U.S. DOT or the shipping authority in your country.
- Quantity of Cylinders Shipped: List cylinders of gas mixtures separately if the components are different.
- Type of Container: Place “CYL” below your quantity amount.
- Hazardous Material: Check off the Hazardous Material column with an “X.” All Air Liquide gases are considered hazardous materials.
- Description of Contents:
For gas mixtures, begin your description with last contained, followed by compressed gas, n.o.s. and hazard class or division. For proper shipping names ending in n.o.s., a minimum of the two most hazardous chemicals must be listed. List the cylinder contents, starting with the concentration range first (i.e. 500 ppm SO2, 5% CO2, balance N2). For pure gases, the proper shipping name is usually the gas name.
- An Accurate UN Number
All cylinders require a UN number when being shipped (placed on the cylinder by Air Liquide). If you cannot locate this number on the cylinder, please contact your Air Liquide representative to assist in determining the correct UN number.
- Weight: Click here for specifications and sizes of cylinders offered by Air Liquide.
- Shipper’s Declaration: The fine print located near the bottom of the bill of lading must be reviewed and signed.