EXPLOSIVE GAS CYLINDER BURDEN

Saturday, 18 July 2009 00:24

“Australians love their barbeques but few realise the potential hazards of used gas cylinders,” said TEC’s waste minimisation project officer, Helen Kerley.

“245,000 cylinders per year are disposed of in NSW and many sneak into the wrong places where their potential to explode proves a real danger to recyclers and landfill operators.”

A Victorian take-back scheme for gas cylinders could be in place as early as October 2009, but the New South Wales Government has snubbed efforts by swap operators, recyclers, community groups and the Victorian state government to bring the scheme to NSW. 

“Not recycling these cylinders is a complete waste of resources and without being safely decommissioned, too many become dangerous stowaways amongst old cars and fridges headed to metal recyclers and landfills.

“The NSW government must urgently address this problem,” said Kerley. “Metal recyclers are spending millions on protective equipment and employee hours as they search out hidden cylinders, as well as dealing with major OH&S risks, damage to equipment, fines, and shut downs.

“The Department of Environment and Climate Change in NSW should set up a product stewardship scheme with strong recovery targets and transparent reporting processes instead of blaming the recyclers,” Kerley concluded.

“This is a case of community groups and business which are working together to identify resource recovery solutions being hindered by a government’s inability to accept its responsibilities.”