Gas Canister Blast Caught on CCTV Sparks Urgent Warning

CCTV footage has captured the moment a gas canister exploded at Cornwall’s Materials Recycling Facility in Bodmin, prompting a fresh warning about how dangerous these items can be when disposed of incorrectly.

Four Fires in One Month

According to Cornwall Council and SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, gas canisters used for camping stoves and DIY products caused four small fires at the Bodmin facility in September.
Staff acted quickly and put out the fires, and no one was hurt.

Craig Mouatt, Regional Manager for SUEZ, said: “The dangers are very real. These canisters are pressurised and can spark an explosion when crushed in the baling machine at the materials recycling facility.
“They pose risks if put in recycling bags or with black bag rubbish, and have caused fires in the collection trucks too.
“Instead, please take your canisters to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), where our trained staff will dispose of them safely.”

What You Should Do With Gas Canisters

Gas canisters must not be put out with either rubbish or recycling.
They can be disposed of safely at any of Cornwall’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres, where trained staff will handle them.

Aerosols, such as deodorant and hairspray cans, do not pose the same danger because they contain much smaller amounts of ignitable gas and are under less pressure. Empty aerosol cans should go in the red recycling bag.

Wider Fire Risks

Councillor Loic Rich, Cabinet member with responsibility for Environment and Climate Change at Cornwall Council, said: “I’d like to thank the staff for acting so quickly and preventing these fires from spreading.
“It’s brilliant that more people are recycling their aerosols but please be careful and make sure you dispose of old gas canisters safely.
“We also need to make sure that items containing lithium-ion batteries, such as electronic devices and vapes, don’t end up in the bin. They can also cause fires when crushed, putting collection crews, as well as the staff at our processing sites in danger.”

More Guidance

For more details on how to recycle items safely, see Cornwall Council’s A to Z of Recycling.