EPA Urges Gas Can Makers to Improve Flow, Clear Confusion Over Venting Rules

EPA calls on manufacturers to bring back self-closing vents in gas cans, aiming to improve usability while maintaining compliance with emissions and safety standards.

• By Stasia DeMarco
• July 25, 2025

After years of consumer frustration over slow and cumbersome gas can designs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is acting. In a letter issued today to portable fuel container (PFC) manufacturers, the agency urged the industry to reintroduce vents that allow faster, safer fuel flow—so long as they comply with federal regulations.

The letter serves as a formal clarification that self-closing vented gas cans are compliant with EPA’s evaporative emissions standards, originally established in 2007. The goal: help manufacturers produce fuel containers that are not only environmentally safe but also practical and user-friendly.

“Part of Powering the Great American Comeback means ensuring manufacturers have the clarity and encouragement to deliver products Americans want,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “The confusion surrounding gas cans has been a frustration for years. We are proud to address this issue head-on. Moving forward, Americans should have gas cans that are compliant, but most importantly, that are effective and consumer friendly.”

Clearing the Air on Venting Rules

The 2007 EPA rule required manufacturers to seal gasoline vapors to reduce evaporative emissions. Although the regulation allowed for vents that automatically close when not in use, many manufacturers eliminated vents entirely due to uncertainty over compliance—resulting in the slow-pouring, hard-to-use cans consumers have criticized for more than a decade.

Today’s letter is part of a broader EPA effort to eliminate regulatory ambiguity and support both safety and functionality in consumer products.

A Legacy of Layered Regulation

Gas can design has become increasingly complex due to overlapping federal mandates. In 2008, Congress passed the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act, which required child-resistant features like prescription bottle caps. This led to the introduction of spring-loaded nozzles.

In 2020, the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act required flame mitigation devices to prevent flashback ignition. While these rules are enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), they further affected the design of nozzles and spouts—sometimes at the expense of usability.

By clarifying its venting position, the EPA aims to support the production of gas cans that are both compliant and consumer-friendly, while still meeting air quality and safety standards.