Somerset Council and its waste collections contractor SUEZ recycling and recovery UK are warning residents not to put gas canisters in their kerbside recycling after a serious fire was narrowly avoided at a recycling-sorting facility.

It was only thanks to the swift and effective actions of highly trained staff that no-one was injured and that the facility was not burned down.

Canisters have caused a number of  fires at recycling sorting centres – but the most serious incident could have closed down the facility if staff had not acted so promptly.

In the last six months, almost 1,500 canisters have been put into blue recycling bags and numbers have  increased due to this summer’s hot weather. as people barbecue more often or enjoy a camping trip.

Matthew Canning, Contract Director - Somerset at SUEZ, said: “We cannot express enough the importance that gas canisters are not put in residents’ recycling or rubbish.

“In fact, we had a fire last Friday that could have easily burnt down the facility, if it wasn't for our highly trained and vigilant staff members putting it out.  

“We have had issues and fires at the recycling processing sites, caused by gas canisters, for a long period of time now and it really needs to change

“It is only a matter of time before this happens due to the amount of canisters in the recycling. If you are a resident that uses any type of gas canisters we ask that you dispose of them safely. We are very close to having a serious incident due to gas canisters and we need residents help to stop this from happening.”

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste, said: “The dangers are very real as this latest incident proved. These canisters are pressured and can spark an explosion when crushed.

“Collection crews are not always able to see if a canister has been put in the bright blue recycling bag and the danger comes when going through the sorting process. This puts staff at risk of injury. We’ve already had four fires in a month – fortunately these were dealt with quickly and efficiently before they could spread. It’s great to see that our residents want to recycle but they need to take extra care by making sure they do not put canisters in any of their collection containers or bins.”

Steve Fisher, Community Risk Manager with Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We would like to extend our sincere thanks to members of the community who responsibly recycle their gas canisters at recycling sites. Improper disposal of these items poses serious risks to the safety of firefighters and waste collection crews.

“We also urge the public to ensure that items containing lithium-ion batteries - such as electronic devices and vapes - are recycled correctly. When disposed of with general waste, these items can explode if crushed by refuse collection vehicles. Over recent years, we have seen a rise in these incidents, particularly with the increasing use of vapes.”

Residents can take small gas canisters to any of Somerset’s 16 recycling sites and speak to a member of site staff about where to leave them. Residents can find their local site online: www.somerset.gov.uk/waste.

Aerosols (deodorant, hairspray etc.) contain a smaller amount of ignitable gas and the bottles are under less pressure, meaning they do not pose the same danger as gas cans. Empty aerosols can still be recycled via the bright blue bag.