Better safe than sorry

Egay Uy .

THE Department of Energy, in collaboration with the Bureau of Fire Protection and the various local government units, is spearheading the cessation of the unsafe practice of refilling and selling of refilled single-use butane canisters.

Recently, there has been a proliferation of unauthorized, hence illegal, refilling of single-use butane canisters with household liquefied petroleum gas. This prompted the Department of Trade and Industry to issue a warning to the public. The warning reads: “The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) warns the public of the rampant unsafe practice of the use of butane canisters as containers for household liquefied petroleum ga (LPG).

“The DTI cautions that these canisters are not intended and designed for LPG and therefore may pose danger to users and households….

“Butane canisters are not compliant with quality and safety requirements for LPG refill.  As such, it may leak and emit hazardous gas and cause explosion and fire, thus posing danger….”

Single-use butane canisters are those used in camping type stoves which are not intended for long or continued use.  As explained by the DOE, the temporary-use camping stove is designed for outdoor use only and it is so constructed in a way that places the butane canister near the open flame. There is thus a strong possibility of canister explosion if the stove is used for longer periods.

Batas Pambansa Blg. 33 penalizes the “illegal trading in petroleum and/or petroleum products” which is defined as “the sale or distribution of petroleum and/or petroleum products for profit without license or authority from” the Department of Energy.

This law was amended by Presidential Decree No. 1865 which now includes “shortselling and adulteration of petroleum and petroleum products” and has increased the imposable penalties of a fine of not less than P20,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of at least two years but not more than five years, or both, at the discretion of the court.

In a meeting recently called by the DOE among representatives of the DTI Region 10 and Misamis Oriental Provincial Offices, the business permit and licensing offices of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities, the Cocpo, BFP, the Cagayan de Oro City Price Coordinating Council, and several others, the DOE appealed to concerned government offices to embark on a program to curb the illegal refilling and selling of single-use butane canisters.

We are taking some steps. Better safe than sorry.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)