VANCOUVER — Canisters of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, sold as whip cream rechargers are increasingly showing up in Metro Vancouver landfills and causing dangerous explosions.
The regional district says it wants people to safely dispose of the canisters, which were recently flagged for recall by Health Canada due to the gas being used as a drug.
Paul Henderson, general manager of Metro Vancouver Solid Waste Services, says the containers, some as large as three liters, have become a problem in the last few months, particularly at the Vancouver waste-to-energy facility in Burnaby.
He said the high-pressure canisters were being discarded in the normal waste stream, “posing a risk to workers”.
“We are seeing damage to equipment at the waste treatment facility, resulting in some loss of productivity,” he said. “The main concern, however, is the health and safety risks associated with these explosions.”
He said recycling centers will now accept canisters with valves removed or with holes pierced to confirm the canisters are no longer under pressure.
“They should not be thrown in the trash,” he said, adding that these cans are under enormous pressure compared to propane cans and other products.
He said he was not yet aware of any casualties from the explosions and the source and sudden spread of the canisters were unknown.
“It’s hard to imagine how much whipped cream you have to make to use a three-liter can of nitrous oxide,” he said.
Metro Vancouver invited reporters to the Coquitlam facility Friday to raise awareness about the canisters, less than a month after Health Canada issued a consumer warning about the recreational use of nitrous oxide.
Health Canada said nitrous oxide is commonly known as laughing gas or “wippets” and listed several consumer products seized with the help of the Canada Border Services Agency.
Health Canada said recreational nitrous oxide products are sold under a variety of brand names, including “Bamboozle,” “Primewhip” and “GreatWhip Max Cream Charger,” and include banned flavored gases.
An online search shows the products are widely available in vaping and smoking stores, and Health Canada said they have not been tested for safety and are sold “in stores where you wouldn't expect to find whipped cream chargers (and) in large containers where you wouldn't expect to dispense whipped cream.”
Henderson said plants in Europe have also had problems with nitrous oxide canisters and they are showing up in some batches “on a large scale”.
“One of our facilities received one load,” he said. “We found 15 of these cylinders distributed throughout the cargo.”
He said Health Canada's recent crackdown has reduced the prevalence of the disease in Metro Vancouver, and he also wrote to the federal agency asking for “written confirmation that the sale of these products is illegal.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2025.
