“Make Gas Cans Great Again”: EPA Proposes Rule Change to Restore Vents on Portable Fuel Containers

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that’s stirring nostalgia and relief among many outdoor enthusiasts and homeowners, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under a Trump-era directive has announced a proposed rule to bring back vents on portable fuel containers—better known to most as gas cans.

The July 24 announcement is part of a broader rollback of the 2009 EPA regulation that removed vents in the name of reducing vapor emissions. The White House cheekily dubbed the initiative “Make Gas Cans Great Again,” signaling a shift toward practicality and consumer preference.

The Gas Can Controversy: A Tale of Spills, Spouts, and Spite

Originally introduced in 2007 and finalized in 2009, the regulation required ventless, “spill-proof” gas cans that were supposed to curb ozone-causing vapors. However, the actual result?

• Hard-to-use, spring-loaded spouts

• Increased gas spills

• Online demand for pre-2009 vented cans

• A frustrated public trying to refuel lawnmowers, ATVs, chainsaws, and even vehicles

Consumers have long vented (pun intended) about the overly complex, spill-prone designs, with many saying they cause more environmental harm through spills than they prevent through vapor control.

A Personal Take: Prepper Fuel, EPA Mousetraps & “Water Jugs”

For many—especially those who lived through fuel shortages like those after Hurricane Sandy—the shift to ventless cans was more than a nuisance. It was a failure of design-by-regulation.

Even casual preppers who stocked up on fuel cans quickly found themselves fighting with complex spouts, needing three hands to pour, spilling gasoline everywhere, and creating exactly the vapor clouds they were supposed to prevent.

The irony? Many turned to aftermarket EZ-Pour spouts, labeled for “water only,” as a workaround—legal gray area products that mimic the ease of old gas can designs.

🧪 Government Overreach or Environmental Necessity?

Critics argue that gas can regulations are a symbol of well-intentioned government overreach:

• Soap that doesn’t clean

• Toilets that don’t flush properly

• Lightbulbs that barely illuminate

• Lawn equipment that constantly breaks or fails EPA testing

“Gas cans” have become part of the broader narrative of products made worse by federal rules—where form overrides function, and practicality gets lost in the paperwork.

🔄 What the New EPA Proposal Would Do

The proposed rule would reverse the 2009 regulation, allowing manufacturers to once again include vents on fuel containers.

🔹 Why it matters:

• Easier pouring

• Reduced spills

• Safer fuel handling

• Lower consumer frustration

The EPA’s move acknowledges what countless Americans have said for years: good intentions don’t always lead to good designs.

🔥 Bottom Line: Let Common Sense Pour Again

With this rule change, Americans might finally see a return to functional, reliable gas cans that don’t require an engineering degree to use.

And while we wait for the government to decide on our right to pour, many will keep their modified “water jugs” close by—and hope the EPA doesn’t come for the charcoal grill next.

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