Restrict large nitrous oxide cylinders to “legitimate commercial users

The UK government should ban open retail sales of large nitrous oxide cylinders and limit their use  to legitimate commercial buyers, urges the Environmental Services Association.

The call follows water and waste management firm Suez highlighting the physical and economic damage nitrous oxide cylinders are causing to their EfW plant operations.

The Environmental Services Association [ESA] confirmed its members have seen the number of large nitrous oxide cylinders arriving at plants rising sharply in recent years, despite “laughing gas” being reclassified as a Class C drug in November 2023, making possession illegal without a legitimate reason.

David Crawford, Plant Manager for Cory’s Riverside 1 EfW facility in London, said last year it identified around 670,000 canisters in the waste it processed, of which about 4,000 exploded.