Discarded nitrous oxide cylinders can explode and that is dangerous for garbage workers and personnel at waste incineration plants. The Association of Waste Companies (VA) and the Dutch Association for Waste and Cleaning Management (NVRD) warn about this on Wednesday. According to the trade associations, incinerators have suffered considerable damage due to exploded nitrous oxide bottles.
Since the nitrous oxide ban came into effect on 1 January this year, companies that work with waste find dozens of bottles in garbage trucks and incinerators every week. In the past, the cylinders could still be returned for a deposit. Since nitrous oxide is on the Opium List, this no longer applies and they end up with the regular waste. If a nitrous oxide cylinder has exploded, installations often have to be shut down and refuse trucks and installations repaired.
The large bottles therefore explode in the incinerators, or sometimes even in the garbage truck. “When that happens, the metal pieces fly around. You don’t want this to happen to our waste heroes,” says Suzie van der Plas on behalf of the NVRD.
For the time being, such an explosion is only air. But if it happens with a waste fire, for example a battery that is igniting, it can lead to a dangerous situation. “Then you have the puppets dancing. It has only happened once so far. But we would like something to change. It’s also stressful for the men and women on the garbage truck. You don’t know what hit you when something explodes in the back.”
Things go wrong in the incinerators almost every day.
Waiting for an accident
VA chairman Boris van der Ham also says that the trade association is concerned about the ‘major safety risks’ of the daily explosions. “It is waiting for an accident to happen. This situation is no longer tenable.”
The trade associations want to speak to the outgoing cabinet about the problems with the exploding nitrous oxide bottles. For example, the sector wants empty nitrous oxide cylinders to be allowed to be handed in at official collection points, such as municipal recycling centers.
The Ministries of Justice and Security, Infrastructure and Water Management and Health, Welfare and Sport have stated that they take the problem very seriously. For now there is a temporary solution: found empty cylinders may be disposed of by waste services, without having to call the police first. This was previously the case, because the cylinders were still considered drugs at the time. Loose cylinders can be safely processed by the waste companies.
“But we are not there yet,” said the ministries. They say they are currently talking to each other to find solutions to the problem.
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