cubflier
FRIEND
Palmer, AK
I have often wondered how the old Scepter vented gas can got banned in the US. So I asked Grok and here is the response.
In the United States, the shift away from vented gas cans, like the 5-gallon Scepter can, stems from environmental regulations introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rather than a single, specific piece of legislation explicitly "banning" vented cans. The key regulatory change occurred in 2007, with implementation starting in 2009, under the EPA's authority derived from the Clean Air Act. This wasn’t a congressional ban but an administrative rule aimed at reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, which contribute to ground-level ozone and smog.
The EPA’s regulation, formally known as the "Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants from Mobile Sources" (codified in 40 CFR Part 59), set new standards for portable fuel containers (PFCs). It required that gas cans manufactured after January 1, 2009, limit hydrocarbon emissions to no more than 0.3 grams per gallon per day. To achieve this, the rules mandated features like permeation-resistant materials, automatic-closing nozzles, and the elimination of separate vents. The logic was that vents, while aiding smooth pouring, allowed gasoline vapors to escape into the atmosphere even when the can was not in use, contributing to pollution. Instead, the EPA required cans to self-vent only during pouring through the spout, relying on pressure equalization within a single opening.
This wasn’t framed as an outright "vent ban" in the legal text but as a performance standard. Manufacturers, however, found it impractical to meet the emission limits with traditional vented designs, effectively phasing them out. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) had pioneered similar standards earlier, influencing the national approach, as California often sets stricter environmental precedents that the EPA later adopts.
The regulation sparked frustration among users, as the new "ventless" cans often led to uneven pouring, spillage, and even can deformation due to pressure changes—ironically sometimes increasing spills and waste. Critics argue the rule prioritizes air quality metrics over usability, while supporters say it’s a necessary step to curb emissions from the estimated 80 million gas cans in use nationwide.
Later, the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020 (passed as part of a larger spending bill, Pub. L. 116-260) added safety requirements, mandating flame mitigation devices like flame arrestors by mid-2023, but this built on the earlier EPA framework and didn’t directly address vents. The ventless design was already entrenched by then due to the 2009 EPA rule.
In short, the "ban" on vented gas cans traces back to the EPA’s 2007 regulation, effective 2009, which set emission standards that made vents obsolete in practice, driven by Clean Air Act goals rather than a standalone congressional act targeting vents specifically.
But I'm thinking there might be hope that we can we can get back to a more sensible regulatory framework that allows vented cans. Sure would be nice.
Jerry
In the United States, the shift away from vented gas cans, like the 5-gallon Scepter can, stems from environmental regulations introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rather than a single, specific piece of legislation explicitly "banning" vented cans. The key regulatory change occurred in 2007, with implementation starting in 2009, under the EPA's authority derived from the Clean Air Act. This wasn’t a congressional ban but an administrative rule aimed at reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, which contribute to ground-level ozone and smog.
The EPA’s regulation, formally known as the "Control of Hazardous Air Pollutants from Mobile Sources" (codified in 40 CFR Part 59), set new standards for portable fuel containers (PFCs). It required that gas cans manufactured after January 1, 2009, limit hydrocarbon emissions to no more than 0.3 grams per gallon per day. To achieve this, the rules mandated features like permeation-resistant materials, automatic-closing nozzles, and the elimination of separate vents. The logic was that vents, while aiding smooth pouring, allowed gasoline vapors to escape into the atmosphere even when the can was not in use, contributing to pollution. Instead, the EPA required cans to self-vent only during pouring through the spout, relying on pressure equalization within a single opening.
This wasn’t framed as an outright "vent ban" in the legal text but as a performance standard. Manufacturers, however, found it impractical to meet the emission limits with traditional vented designs, effectively phasing them out. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) had pioneered similar standards earlier, influencing the national approach, as California often sets stricter environmental precedents that the EPA later adopts.
The regulation sparked frustration among users, as the new "ventless" cans often led to uneven pouring, spillage, and even can deformation due to pressure changes—ironically sometimes increasing spills and waste. Critics argue the rule prioritizes air quality metrics over usability, while supporters say it’s a necessary step to curb emissions from the estimated 80 million gas cans in use nationwide.
Later, the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020 (passed as part of a larger spending bill, Pub. L. 116-260) added safety requirements, mandating flame mitigation devices like flame arrestors by mid-2023, but this built on the earlier EPA framework and didn’t directly address vents. The ventless design was already entrenched by then due to the 2009 EPA rule.
In short, the "ban" on vented gas cans traces back to the EPA’s 2007 regulation, effective 2009, which set emission standards that made vents obsolete in practice, driven by Clean Air Act goals rather than a standalone congressional act targeting vents specifically.
But I'm thinking there might be hope that we can we can get back to a more sensible regulatory framework that allows vented cans. Sure would be nice.
Jerry
Heck, they even have gas!
