The company said the system will process items in a safe way, aiming to stop the greenhouse gas impact caused through discharge of the gas, which is said to have nearly 300 times the warming power of carbon dioxide.
Developed at Veolia’s Empire facility in Birmingham, the process captures the gas from the canisters and separates the nitrogen and oxygen components to enable the gases to be safely vented, before the empty canisters are recycled.
The canisters will be sourced from commercial waste collections, street cleaning and seizures of illegal stores.
Canisters
Nitrous oxide is mainly used in the hospitality industry for whipped cream and certain soft drinks. However, in recent years, there has also been growing recreational use.
A number of waste firms have reported rising levels of nitrous oxide canisters in the waste stream in recent years (see letsrecycle.com story).
‘Real ecological transformation’
Nicola Henshaw, director hazardous waste at Veolia UK, said: “The new treatment process for commercial nitrous oxide canisters represents a real step forward in how industry can stop the discharge of this potent greenhouse gas which causes the destruction of the ozone layer.
“By safely treating the gas, and breaking it down into its atmospheric elements, we can limit the environmental impact and return metals for recycling. This is another example of how Veolia is delivering real ecological transformation for the future of the planet.”
The site is said to be designed as a modular operation, with capacity set to be tailored to demand. Those wishing to send material to Veolia’s facility can get in contact here.
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