In This Article:
- The Two-Part Problem
- Step 1: Separate the Tank From the Grill
- Getting Rid of the Grill Body
- Why the Propane Tank Needs a Different Path
- Where to Take the Tank
- Sherman's HHW Event: What It Does and Doesn't Cover
- Common Mistakes
- Tex's Take
- FAQ
A grill dying in Sherman usually happens the same way. The burners stop lighting evenly, rust works its way through the bottom tray, and at some point you decide the thing has earned its retirement. The grill itself is the easy part. It's the propane tank sitting next to it that makes people pause, because nothing on the city's website tells you exactly what to do with it.
Let's go through both pieces one at a time, starting with why they need to be treated as two separate problems in the first place.
The Two-Part Problem
A gas grill is, structurally, two different kinds of waste stuck together. There's the body: steel frame, grates, side shelves, wheels, control knobs, which is just bulky metal and plastic. Then there's the propane tank, which is a pressurized cylinder that can still hold residual gas even when it feels empty.
Sherman's own rules treat these very differently. The city's Bulk & Brush Collection page lists furniture and appliances as acceptable bulk waste items, but it specifically excludes anything classified as hazardous material, and says so for that exact reason. A propane tank, even mostly empty, falls under hazardous material by every standard most cities use. So before you put anything at the curb, you need to think of this as two pickups, not one.
Step 1: Separate the Tank From the Grill
Start here, every time. Turn the tank valve fully clockwise to closed. Disconnect the regulator hose from the tank, usually a screw-on fitting at the top. Set the tank aside somewhere upright, outdoors, away from direct sun, and don't touch it again until you're ready to take it somewhere.
Once the tank is off, the grill body becomes a much simpler item. No fuel, no pressure, no real hazard, just steel and a few plastic parts.
Getting Rid of the Grill Body
With the tank removed, Sherman's bulk waste program is the most realistic option for the grill frame itself.
As of May 4, 2026, Sherman changed how this program works. It used to run on a fixed monthly schedule by zone. Now it's call-in only. You put the item at the curb, then request a pickup through the Sherman app, the city website, or by calling the bulk waste line directly. Each residence gets one pickup per month, up to 5 cubic yards, plenty of room for a standard grill.
If you'd rather skip the wait for pickup, a scrap metal yard is the other route. Grill bodies are mostly steel, and most scrap dealers in the area will take a clean, fuel-free grill frame without much fuss. Call first, since policies on whole appliances versus stripped metal vary by yard.
Why the Propane Tank Needs a Different Path
Here's the part that surprises people. You'd expect a city this size to have a clear answer for something as common as an old grill tank. Sherman doesn't, not because the city is being careless, but because propane tanks fall into an awkward gap between two systems that weren't built with them in mind.
The bulk waste program excludes hazardous materials outright, as already covered. The city's annual Household Hazardous Waste event, run through the Texoma Council of Governments, accepts paint, used motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, household cleaners, and pesticides, but propane tanks aren't on that list either. They're also explicitly absent from the items the event says it won't take, like tires and ammunition, which means the honest answer is that it's unconfirmed. Call ahead before assuming either way.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality actually takes some of the pressure off here. Household hazardous waste generated by a residence, including a grill's leftover propane, isn't required to be managed under formal hazardous waste rules. TCEQ says it can often go in regular trash. That's useful context, but it doesn't change what Sherman's own bulk program will or won't pick up at your curb. The state rule and the city's pickup policy are answering two different questions.
This isn't unique to Sherman. The same gap shows up almost everywhere in Texas. Look at our guide on disposing of old propane tanks in Wichita Falls. That city's HHW page doesn't list tanks by name either, and the Transfer Station turns them away outright. Tyler has the same blind spot, which we cover in our propane tank disposal guide for Tyler. Once you see the pattern across multiple cities, it stops looking like a Sherman-specific oversight and starts looking like how most Texas municipal programs were built before grill tanks became a routine household item.
Where to Take the Tank
Since the city route is uncertain, the retailer route is what actually works, and it's been confirmed for Sherman specifically.
| Option | What They Do | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul (Sherman, TX 75090) | Propane refill, with free safety inspection on every tank | Refill priced by the gallon; inspection free | If your tank fails inspection (rust, damage, expired certification), ask whether they'll take it for disposal instead of refill. Call ahead. |
| AmeriGas (Sherman service area) | Tank exchange and refill through partner retailers | Exchange typically $19-$25; drop-off only is often free | Use the location finder at amerigas.com to find the nearest participating retailer near Sherman. |
| Hardware store exchange kiosks | Blue Rhino / AmeriGas cages, typically outside the entrance | Free if drop-off only; ~$19-25 for a swap | Tank needs to be within 12 years of its manufacture stamp, no visible rust at the collar, OPD valve present, or the kiosk will reject it. Check the date stamp on the collar before loading it in the truck. |
That date stamp matters more than people expect. Every standard 20-lb propane cylinder has a manufacture date stamped into the collar near the valve. Tanks are only certified for 12 years from that date. If yours is older, or has visible rust at the collar, the exchange kiosk will turn it away, and you'll need to go directly to a propane dealer like AmeriGas or U-Haul, who can handle de-pressurizing and scrapping it properly instead of refilling it.
Sherman's HHW Event: What It Does and Doesn't Cover
The Texoma Council of Governments runs an annual Household Hazardous Waste collection event for Sherman residents, with this year's event held May 2, 2026. It's worth knowing about for the rest of your garage cleanout even if it doesn't solve the propane tank specifically.
Sign-up happens through a SignUpGenius link the city posts ahead of each year's event, and there's a flyer published alongside it. The next one isn't scheduled yet as of this writing. Check the Sherman Solid Waste & Recycling page for the current year's date once it's announced.
Common Mistakes
Putting the whole grill, tank attached, out at the curb. The bulk pickup crew can refuse the entire load if they see a tank still connected, not just the tank itself.
Assuming the scrap yard will take the tank along with the metal grill frame. Most won't, because of residual gas risk. Strip the tank off first and handle it separately.
Trying to "vent" a tank yourself to make sure it's empty. Don't. Let a licensed retailer or dealer handle depressurizing. This isn't a step to DIY in your driveway.
Calling the bulk waste line and not mentioning the propane tank is already removed. Saying so up front avoids a wasted trip if the crew shows up expecting to find one attached.
Tex's Take
Sherman's bulk program is actually one of the more flexible ones we've covered. Call-in instead of waiting for a fixed zone day is a real improvement, and it'll take the grill body without much trouble. The propane tank is where the city's own paperwork just doesn't say anything useful. Not the HHW list, not the bulk exclusions, nowhere.
That's not a knock on Sherman specifically. We've seen the same blank spot in Wichita Falls and Tyler. Propane tanks became a normal household item faster than most municipal waste programs got around to writing rules for them. Until that catches up, the retailer route is the dependable answer, and it has the side benefit of actually being free most of the time if you're just dropping off.
Check the date stamp before you make a trip anywhere. It's the one step people skip, and it's the one that determines whether you're walking out with a full tank or driving to a second location.
FAQ
Can I put my old grill out with regular bulk trash in Sherman?
Yes, once the propane tank is removed. Request a pickup through the Sherman app, the city website, or 903-892-7777. The grill needs to sit at the curb at least three feet from any obstruction. The propane tank needs to go separately. It doesn't qualify under the bulk program's hazardous materials exclusion.
Does Sherman's HHW event take propane tanks?
It's not confirmed either way. Propane tanks aren't named on the event's accepted list (paint, motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, cleaners, pesticides) or its excluded list (tires, ammunition, drums, medical waste). Call the Solid Waste & Recycling office before assuming.
Where's the closest place in Sherman to exchange a propane tank?
U-Haul operates a propane refill location in Sherman, TX 75090, with free safety inspections on every tank. AmeriGas also services the Sherman area for tank exchange and refill. Use their online location finder to find the nearest participating retailer.
My tank is old and rusted. Will the hardware store kiosk take it?
Probably not. Exchange kiosks reject tanks older than 12 years from the manufacture stamp, tanks with visible rust at the collar, or tanks missing an OPD valve. For those, go directly to AmeriGas or U-Haul, who can handle de-pressurizing and scrapping it properly.
Is it legal to just throw a propane tank in my regular trash can?
No. Even a tank that feels empty can hold residual pressurized gas. It's a fire and explosion risk in a garbage truck compactor, which is why Sherman's program, and every city we've checked, excludes it from regular curbside trash.
Data last verified June 2026 against the City of Sherman Solid Waste & Recycling and Bulk & Brush Collection pages, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and confirmed AmeriGas and U-Haul service areas for Sherman, TX. Hours, fees, and accepted items can change without notice. Call ahead before making a trip.
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