So far this year refuse collector Net Brussel has collected some 60 tonnes of laughing gas canisters. The canisters need to be sorted properly because there is a danger they may explode if they end up in the incinerator. Despite the refuse agency’s best efforts to sort the canisters many end up in regular refuse collections. "Almost every week an incinerator has to be shut down due to an explosion" the agency says.
The financial cost of laughing gas: canisters cost refuse agency 10 million euros a year
Colin Clapson
Published:
The prevalence of canisters containing laughing gas or nitrous oxide has been on the rise in Brussels since the end of 2022. The canisters are mostly found in public rubbish bins, near bottle banks, in recycle parks or on the public highway.
Net Brussel uses a special sorting team to carry out an additional check on rubbish bags considered hazardous waste before the bags end up in the incinerator. "This is how we sort 250 tonnes of hazardous waste every day," Net Brussel spokesman Adel Lassouli explains.
The financial cost
Despite these extra measures, hundreds of laughing gas canisters continue to end up in the incinerators every day. These cause explosions, putting the incinerators out of action for several days each time. Each outage costs around €150,000.
The cost of laughing gas canisters ending up in incinerators is around 10 million euros a year. "The bill includes extra maintenance of incinerators, a loss of income as the usual quantities of waste cannot be processed, but also and especially the precautions taken to prevent a large number of canisters ending up in the incinerators," says the agency.
The human and environmental cost
The laughing gas canisters collected by Net Brussel have mainly been used as a source of intoxicants. Balloons are filled with nitrous oxide, from which the user inhales the gas. Laughing gas or nitrous oxide has now even been banned by the federal government as a hazard to health.
Net Brussel is hoping for growing awareness of the dangers the canisters pose to health, to the environment and to its incinerators. "They are dangerous waste. The canisters really should not end up in ordinary rubbish bags."