That cheap roadside refill is part of an illegal trade. Here's what decanting actually is, why EPRA fights it, and how the licensed system protects you.
What Illegal Refilling Looks Like
- A roadside or informal seller with a big "master" cylinder and hoses.
- They pour gas from the big cylinder into yours — estimating, not weighing.
- Your cylinder keeps its identity — no exchange, no seal, no inspection.
- Priced noticeably below market — that's the bait.
Why EPRA Bans It
- Pressure control: factory filling uses scales and pressure limits — decanting is guesswork.
- Cylinder inspection: plants inspect before filling; roadside sellers never do.
- Traceability: a sealed, branded cylinder is traceable to a licensed plant; decanted gas is untraceable.
- Tax and licensing: illegal refillers evade the framework that funds safety enforcement.
The Licensed Chain (How It Should Work)
- Import — LPG arrives at licensed terminals (Mombasa).
- Licensed filling plants — cylinders inspected, weighed, filled to certified weight, sealed.
- Licensed distribution — transported under safety rules to dealers.
- Licensed retail — you exchange an empty for a sealed full cylinder. The empty goes back to the plant, gets inspected, refilled, resealed.
Every step is accountable. A decanting break anywhere in that chain puts untested gas in your kitchen.
How You Get Caught as a Consumer
- Cheap price + no exchange + no seal + no receipt — the classic signature.
- Underfilled gas — your "13kg" dies in 3 weeks.
- Contaminated gas — sooty flames and damaged appliances weeks later.
What You Should Do
- Exchange only — never accept poured gas.
- Verify the seal and engraving (checklist).
- Buy licensed — PataGas supplies sealed, inspected cylinders only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is roadside refilling actually illegal?
Yes — selling LPG requires an EPRA retail licence, and cylinder-to-cylinder decanting outside a licensed plant violates EPRA regulations.
Why is it cheaper?
No licensing, no inspection, no weighing, no tax — you get what you pay for, in the worst way.
What if I've already bought decanted gas?
Use it safely but treat the cylinder as suspect — inspect the valve, leak-test after connecting, and buy genuine next time.
Licensed supply only: sealed, inspected, weighed cylinders every time. Order genuine →