President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), headed by Lee Zeldin, has announced a major move to “Make Gas Cans Great Again,” with a new letter from the agency undoing regulations that have made gas cans woefully difficult to use and potentially unsafe for consumers.
For background, on July 24, 2025, the EPA sent a letter to gas can manufacturers calling for a redesign of their spouts, with the current design being a major source of frustration due to its often-malfunctioning venting mechanism. While the current standard design was implemented to reduce ozone pollution, the EPA concluded that malfunctioning cans are a far greater safety issue than a small amount of vapor.
In a statement shared by the EPA, Administrator Lee Zeldin provided background on the rationale for the new regulations, saying, “Part of Powering the Great American Comeback means ensuring manufacturers have the clarity and encouragement to deliver products Americans want.” He continued, “The confusion surrounding gas cans has been a frustration for years.”
Concluding his statement, Administrator Zeldin said that henceforth, “Americans should have gas cans that are compliant, but most importantly, that are effective and consumer friendly.” Moreover, the EPA described its regulations update as part of a broader effort “to address the issue of regulatory confusion and accurately communicate to make sure manufacturers and the public understand EPA’s requirements.”
Additionally, a press release from the EPA provided further background on the previous regulations, explaining that from 2007 onward, manufacturers were required to “reduce evaporative emissions by sealing in gasoline vapors.” Moreover, the agency explained that these regulations took effect in 2009, and from that point on, manufacturers dealt with “widespread confusion,” and many “stopped installing vents altogether.”
Furthermore, the agency clarified that in 2020, under former President Joe Biden, further regulations were implemented that “complicated nozzle and spout designs” with “mandated flame mitigation devices…to prevent flashback ignition.” Regarding these regulations and their impact on gas cans, eBay reseller Steven Watt told USA Today, “People hate ’em.”
Moreover, on March 26, 2025, The Statehouse File reported that a resolution reversing the EPA’s ban on vented metal gas cans was finding plenty of support in the Senate, with State Sen. James Tomes, a Republican from Indiana, saying, “In 2007, California decided to ban the most trustworthy, reliable tool that people in this country use every day, and it’s a vented gas can.”
"*" indicates required fields
In addition, Indiana State Sen. Rick Nieeyer, also a Republican, said of metal gas cans, “To be honest with you, I didn’t know we banned them.” He added, “All of my cans have got a vent on them, and the gas comes out so fast, and it’s over with quick.” Sen. Tomes added, “I don’t know who the idiot was that came up with [the current gas can design], but what we have today, and all you can buy is a can that has a spout that will not flex, and it takes three hands to actually pour the gas.
Featured image credit: