Propane Tank Damage by Meth Cooks
To anyone that uses a grill in the summer
Meth cooks are getting the propane tanks from the exchanges at Wal-Mart, Kroger, gas stations, etc. and emptying them of the propane. They are filling them with anhydrous ammonia (which is used in their meth recipe). After they are finished with them, they return them to the store. They are then refilled with propane and sent back for you and me to buy.
Anhydrous ammonia is very corrosive and weakens the structure of the tank. It can be extremely dangerous when mixed with propane and hooked up to our grills, etc.
You should inspect the propane tank for any blue or greenish residue around the valve areas. If it is present, refuse to purchase that one." If you suspect you already have one of these tanks, don't touch it. Notify the fire dept, DEA, or HazMat Emergency Response Unit immediately for disposition.
Check out the following website for more details. They also have pictures showing what a contaminated tank valve might look like.
http://www.npga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=529
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/methtank.asp