Toxic and Flammable
Chemicals
Report

Disposal Procedures for Chafing
Fuel
Recommendation:
That the August 14, 2008, Asset
Management and Public Works report
2008PW7615 be received for
information.
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Report Summary
This information report provides a
response to an administrative inquiry
regarding disposal of chafing fuel
and chafing fuel canisters.
Previous Council/Committee Action

At the June 11, 2008, Executive
Committee meeting, the following
administrative inquiry was made:
Last year in Edmonton
approximately 8,000 cases of
chafing fuel were sold, potentially
resulting in over 200,000 cans of
toxic and flammable chemicals
going into the city landfill.
I would appreciate information on
the following:
1. Is chafing fuel (or the
substance of Ethylene Glycol,
Diethylene Glycol or
Methanol) currently defined as
regulated wastes? If not,
please explain.
2. Given the toxicity of such
substances would it be
possible to require their
disposal via the City’s Eco
Stations?
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
Chafing fuel is the heat source used
in chafing dishes to keep prepared
food hot usually at catered functions.
This fuel is most commonly made up
of ethanol and methanol, diethylene
glycol or propylene glycol and is
contained in small
canisters/containers.
The two main issues surrounding the
disposal of chafing fuel and canisters
are flashpoint and toxicity.
Flashpoint refers to the amount of
effort required to ignite the fuel
source. Ethanol and methanol have
lower flashpoints (will ignite quicker)
while diethylene glycol and
propylene glycol have higher
flashpoints.
The toxicity risk of chafing fuel is
directly related to the ingestion of the
product. Product labels warn users
of this danger.
Other related fuel sources like
kerosene (camp fuel), fondue fuel
and butane (lighter fuel) are also
flammable and toxic if ingested.
1. Is chafing fuel (or the substance of
Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol or
Methanol) currently defined as
regulated wastes? If not, please
explain.
 Diethylene glycol and propylene
glycol are not regulated wastes
under the Alberta Waste Control
Regulation (WCR). Ethanol and
methanol, however, are regulated
under the WCR due to their low
flashpoint.
 Empty containers, regardless of type
of chafing fuel they contained, are
not considered hazardous waste and
can be disposed of by landfilling if
not recycled with other scrap metals.
ROUTING – Executive Committee | DELEGATION – L. Rosen/R. Neehall
WRITTEN BY – D. Gray/R. Neehall | August 14, 2008 – Asset Management and Public Works Department 2008PW7615
Page 1 of 2
Toxic and Flammable Chemicals Disposal Procedures for Chafing Fuel
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Partially full canisters of ethanol or
methanol are not hazardous waste if
the individual or aggregate volume of
the material in the containers is less
than 5 litres.
Diethylene glycol and propylene
glycol are not defined as toxic and
hazardous waste based on the
criteria in the WCR.
The City of Edmonton does not
control the distribution and disposal
of commercial fuel products in
Edmonton.
Disposal methods for flammable
and/or toxic products are outlined in
the products’ Material Safety Data
Sheets. According to the Canadian
Centre for Occupational Health and
Safety, a Material Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS) is a document that contains
information on the potential hazards
(health, fire, reactivity and
environmental) and how to work
safely with the chemical product.
Purchasers of these products for
commercial use must adhere to
guidelines outlined in MSDS sheets.
2. Given the toxicity of such substances
would it be possible to require their
disposal via the City’s Eco Stations?
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For safety of collection, specifically
to reduce the risk of fire in collection
vehicles, residents should take
partially full or full canisters of
chafing fuel to an Eco Station for
proper disposal since this product is
flammable and, as such, is a
prohibited item for residential waste
collection as per Waste Management
Bylaw 13777.
At the residential level, a small
volume exemption to the Provincial
Waste Control Regulation would
likely apply for disposal of the
Page 2 of 2
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partially used containers thereby
allowing their disposal with regular
residential waste. Regardless, the
City encourages residents to dispose
of all flammable products in an
appropriate, environmentally sound
manner i.e. deliver the product to an
Eco Station.
Commercial hazardous waste
management is controlled by the
Province of Alberta, not by the City
of Edmonton. Furthermore, the
City’s Eco Stations are only licensed
to accept residential hazardous
waste and, as such, cannot accept
commercially generated waste
including chafing fuel.
Policy
Waste Management Policy C527
Focus Area
Environmental Preservation and
Sustainability.