People who purchase disposable gas canisters are urged to dispose of them properly by placing them with the recyclable waste, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said Saturday during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, when barbecues are usually a popular activity.
The pressurized gas canisters used in camping stoves and outdoor grills can explode and cause a fire on the garbage truck if they are tossed out with compost and solid waste, the EPA warned.
Earlier this year, two sanitation workers in New Taipei’s Tucheng District suffered burns to their limbs and neck when a gas canister exploded and started a fire in the back of a garbage truck, as the trash was being compressed, the EPA said.
The proper way to dispose of a gas canister is to make sure it is completely empty and used up before placing it in a separate bag for recycling, the EPA said.
The canister should not be emptied by puncturing it, as this can cause an explosion, the EPA warned, adding that users should burn off any remaining gas in an open outdoor area.
The same disposal method applies to other types of pressurized canisters, including aerosol sunscreens, hair sprays, insecticide sprays, and spray paints, it said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel