Don’t Panic: How to Save Gasoline Safely

In the past few days since the Colonial Pipeline closure, some people have saved gasoline in the worst ways ever. From filling water bottles to plastic bags to children’s sand buckets, consumers have been seen unsafely trying to stock up on gasoline. Experts at Scepter^® encourage people to stop filling unsafe items with fuel and to invest in rugged, safe fuel containers.  

“Safety should always be the highest priority when handling gasoline or other fuels,” says Dan Marshall, vice president of marketing and business development with Scepter. “You simply cannot safely fill up and transport open containers of fuel. Buckets, milk jugs and other household items are not meant to handle fuel.  

“For safety sake, you should never use any container other than a tested, certified fuel container for fuel storage. The multi-layered construction of approved fuel containers are the only way to safely transport and store fuel.”

Respecting Fuel Safety

As a panic reaction to saving fuel at the gas pumps, some people have been shown filling everything from two-liter soda bottles to watering cans this week.  

“We’re deeply dedicated to fuel safety,” says Marshall, whose company initiated Fuel Safety Month in July of 2020. “There are extremely bad results that can happen when people don’t understand and respect fuel safety. One of our highest priorities is to educate consumers on fuel safety. 

“Quite simply, it’s not worth the risk to yourself or others around you to try and save gasoline in anything other than an approved fuel container built especially for that purpose.” 

Marshall relates that using a dependable fuel container eliminates dangers during accidental spills. A dropped bucket, bag or other unreliable container with gasoline could cause an environmental, safety or potential fire situation. According to the durability standards of ASTM 852, there are specific requirements that fuel containers must meet which help avoid these dangers during an accidental drop.   

“There’s truly no reason why consumers should use the wrong product to save gasoline,” says Marshall. “Durable, high density multi-layered polypropylene fuel containers, like our Scepter^® SmartControl^™ containers, are readily available throughout the United States both in stores and online.” 

The rugged SmartControl containers are Made in America and designed to substantially exceed ASTM and U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) minimum standards. Each product includes child safety locks and a flame mitigation device for added protection. And, as required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the products are made of integrated barrier layers to keep dangerous fumes from leaking or igniting.

 One-, two- and five-gallon SmartControl fuel containers feature a unique push spout for fast pours without spills. With a single motion, the user simply presses the lever up to unlock the child safety feature with the palm of the hand, and then squeezes the large button. The first squeeze is done when upright to vent the container. Then, the nozzle gets placed over the tank. A second squeeze allows users to pour just the right amount of fuel. 

A video showcasing proper filling and use of Scepter fuel containers is available on the company’s website.

Precedence for Fuel Safety

Fuel container safety is such an important topic that the Congressional Fire Services Institute reports a related bill was introduced to Congress on January 28, 2019. The bill directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adopt a standard requiring the addition of flame mitigation devices (FMDs) to consumer-grade portable fuel containers.  

According to the Portable Fuel Container Manufacturers Association (PFCMA), FMDs are designed to prevent the rare occurrence of the transmission of a flame into a container and then igniting flammable vapor inside the container. The FMD allows a container to safely and effectively function for the user and meet the other standards applicable to portable fuel containers.  

“Fuel safety concerns are not new,” says Marshall. “We’ve been working for years to educate people on fuel safety while producing extremely reliable and rugged fuel containers. It’s completely worth the minimal investment for people to purchase and use appropriate fuel containers during this Colonial Pipeline situation and throughout the year.”

Recognized by This Old House magazine as a “Top 20 Best New Product of 2019” in the Lawn & Garden category, SmartControl containers are also the recipient of the “Best in Class” Award at the 2018 National Hardware Show. Visit scepter.com for more information.