French fire service asks people to check for empty or unused gas bottles at home
Canisters can be returned to points of sale, reducing fire risk
15,000 retailers will accept empty gas canisters
Mikael Damkier/Shutterstock
France’s firefighter union is calling on residents and property owners to check their homes for abandoned (empty or no longer in use) gas canisters, as their presence can greatly increase the risk – and damage – of a house fire.
The Fédération Nationale des Sapeurs-Pompiers de France has teamed up with supplier Antargaz to launch a campaign asking residents and property owners to take these gas cylinders back to a retailer to be safely dealt with.
Of the 68 million gas cylinders in circulation in France, only around 10% are returned, with the rest unaccounted for and likely being stockpiled – potentially dangerously – at people’s homes.
Around 15,000 retailers that sell gas canisters will accept cylinders returned to them, regardless of where they were originally purchased.
Increased fire risk
“A gas bottle, even if it seems empty, always contains a little gas,” said the firefighters in a press release on the matter.
This stored-up gas can often release in a liquid form, increasing the spread and intensity of a house fire – which itself can be a catalyst for disturbing the canisters as nearby heat makes them vulnerable to leaking, creating a vicious cycle.
Keeping the empty bottles in your home also increases the risk of injury to firefighters during an intervention, the union said.
Last month, four firefighters near Nantes were injured when nearly-empty gas canisters exploded close to them when they were responding to a callout.
Read more: Can I use bottled gas in my French property?
Environmental concerns
In addition to safety risks, returning your gas cylinders is the best choice for the environment.
It allows the cylinders to be returned to gas suppliers and be reused – providing they pass certain safety tests to check they are still up to standard – reducing production levels of new canisters.
If you have a bottle but do not have a consignment note for it, you can still take it to an authorised gas supplier. Since January 1, 2013, all gas suppliers are obliged to accept used bottles - even without a consignment note.
Some tips for safely storing and returning gas cylinders are:
When storing your cylinders before returning them, keep them away from heat sources or a place where variation in temperature will be strong. Store them in a safe, dry, clean place
Never store abandoned gas cylinders horizontally
Do not leave abandoned cylinders in a car, under direct sunlight
When returning them, check that you are doing so to an authorised gas supplier, such as a supermarket or well-known supplier. This will ensure they re-enter circulation quicker.
Read more: Cars, energy, homes: what do France’s new climate targets change
