The case in summary • Missorted gas containers have become a growing problem and create dangerous situations at waste facilities. • The problem has increased in line with private imports of nitrous oxide, which grew from 2 tonnes in 2020 to 232 tonnes last year. • Nitrous oxide is used in the food industry, in medicine – and increasingly as an intoxicant. • Waste Norway will ban the sale of nitrous oxide bottles to private individuals. • The government announces regulation of the sale of nitrous oxide for private use. A consultation proposal will come during the autumn. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Oslo’s largest incineration plant has experienced 150 explosions so far this year. Many of them are due to nitrous oxide on detours. In three years, private imports of nitrous oxide have increased from 2 to a formidable 232 tonnes last year, according to the Norwegian Customs Authority. The gas is used in the food industry, for medical purposes and increasingly as an intoxicant. The result is explosive. – We fear that employees will be injured in explosions. Either out on the waste disposal truck or in our facilities, says Lars Pedersen in Avfall Sør. MUST BE SORTED: – There will always be a residue of gas left in such cans, says Sven Wiik in Stena Recycling (right) – together with Lars Pedersen in Avfall Sør. Photo: eirik damsgaard / news Smell without warning Shaving foam. Hair spray. Spray paint. Carbonated cartridges for soda machines. Propane cans after grilling season. And nitrous oxide. Missorted gas containers have been an ongoing problem. Now it is increasing in scope. – All types of gas containers must be delivered as hazardous waste. If you are in doubt, ask us at the recycling station, says Pedersen. Employees never know when it will strike, only that it is happening more and more often. Either when the waste is compressed outside on the cars, compressed at the station – or burned in the ovens. BOOM: These bottles are about to give the recycling industry the tinnitus of the ages. Now Waste Norway is asking for a ban on sales to private parties. Photo: eirik damsgaard / news – In the biggest cities, you see more and more containers of nitrous oxide in the wrong place. There are stronger bottles with greater potential for damage, says Pedersen. As “rockets” in the ceiling Worst hit is Oslo. At the Haraldrud incineration plant – which receives most of Oslo’s waste from households – it takes the form of a very involuntary New Year’s Eve almost every day. At the end of July, close to 150 explosions were recorded so far this year. Last year it only happened weekly. In 2022, hardly any powerful explosions were recorded. EXPLOSIONS OFTEN: – We are seeing a strong increase in powerful explosions that can destroy equipment, Jørgen Bakke Fredriksen in Oslo municipality. Photo: Silje Slålien Thoen / Oslo municipality – Many nitrous oxide containers are delivered correctly, but many also end up in the ovens, says Jørgen Bakke Fredriksen of the Renovation and Recycling Agency in Oslo municipality. They have seen the bottles shoot 5-6 meters straight up. – They can, for example, destroy the water pipes of the district heating system that run through the roof. We have had water leaks into the oven, which means that we have to shut down for several days, says Bakke Fredriksen. GAS CANS: All gas cans can explode when exposed to pressure or heat. They must therefore be sorted as hazardous waste. Photo: eirik damsgaard / news So far they have escaped personal injury. But downtime and repairs cost money. Finally, for those who pay municipal waste disposal fees. – To the whole country – Gas in residual waste is increasing all over the country, although the problem is more limited outside Oslo, says Kåre Fostervold, director of public relations at Waste Norway. Waste Norway represents 200 businesses within the industry and fears the nitrous oxide explosions in Oslo are a harbinger. – We have every reason to believe that the problem will spread to the whole country if the authorities do not do something, says Fostervold. 9 GRAM: Waste Norway will limit nitrous oxide for the private market to such small 9-gram cartridges. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto He believes that the spotlight should first be on the risks that result from drug abuse. – At the same time, we lack the political will to reduce sales of large nitrous oxide containers to private individuals, he says. Waste Norway believes that people who abuse nitrous oxide do not have the same disposal routines as the industry, and will have a general ban on the sale of nitrous oxide to people under 18 years of age. In addition, private individuals should only be allowed to buy cartridges with a maximum of 9 grams of nitrous oxide. Announces new rules The government says it is working on the problem. Earlier in August, Bård Hoksrud (Frp) asked questions in the Storting about substance abuse with nitrous oxide and increasing problems when returning bottles. Among other things, he referred to the fear that the containers will explode during collection, transport or treatment in the waste facilities. Health and Care Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) replied that “possible measures to reduce the use of nitrous oxide for intoxicating purposes” are currently being investigated. It is opened to regulate the sale of nitrous oxide for private use. A proposal will come up for consultation during the autumn. Missorter Tom Milan Premak stands in the reception area for hazardous waste at Avfall Sør’s recycling station at Mjåvann in Kristiansand. People are constantly stopping by with bottles and cans of various kinds. RECEIVING: – Some admit that they have thrown away empty spray cans together with metal. But they must be delivered here, says Tom Milan Premak, Hazardous waste manager at Avfall Sør. Photo: eirik damsgaard / news – I meet many people who are good at sorting. But some admit that they have thrown spray cans together with metal waste at home, says Premak. – What do you say then? – Then I say it won’t work. They have to come here with everything. Recently, several bottles for nitrous oxide have also been delivered correctly. – They are easy to recognize. On labeling and colours, says Premak. Published 03/09/2024, at 12.32 p.m
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This should not be disposed of in residual waste – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
