This year, the council has said crews at the material recovery facilities in Taunton and Evercreech have already prevented over 1,000 potential fires caused by gas canisters mistakenly put out for recycling.
It has stated that due to the rising number of these canisters appearing in kerbside recycling, crews have been “forced” to manually inspect recycling ahead of the automated sorting process to avert hazardous blazes.
Somerset council has highlighted that small gas canisters, typically used for camping stoves, are often wrongly placed in the kerbside recycling ‘Bright Blue Bag’. It said while this bag is suitable for empty aerosol bottles like hairspray or deodorant, it shouldn’t be used for gas canisters.
According to the council, aerosols, containing a smaller amount of ignitable gas and being under less pressure, are less likely to ignite if crushed. In contrast, it reports that gas canisters, which hold gas at high pressure, are much more likely to explode if compressed.
Therefore, it warns residents that gas canisters must be taken to a local household recycling site and advised them to consult on-site teams for the correct disposal area.
Batteries
Other items that pose fire risks for collection crews include batteries and disposable barbecues. Over the past year, the council has reported that ten fires have occurred at Suez’s material recovery facilities or in collection trucks. These incidents were sparked by hazardous materials such as large household batteries and gas canisters going through the baling process. It has said “quick response from crews has so far prevented injury and significant damage”.
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