City cracks down on canned LPG refills

THE Davao City Business Bureau is now closely coordinating with checkpoints within the city to prevent the entry of illegally distributed LPGrefilled butane canisters.

Business Bureau Chief Atty. Marissa Torentera, in a media forum on Thursday last week, said they have confiscated almost 4,000 canisters from Bankerohan Public Market, and in Sirawan and Bunawan checkpoints.

She said that around 3,201 were confiscated at the checkpoints.

Torentera said there is no refilling station in Davao that they have monitored, thus these refilled canisters have to be brought in and are thus easy to block.

"Department of Trade and Industry reported that the supply comes from Tagum City," she said.

She added that the Department of Energy already raised the warning that LPG-filled butane canisters may explode.

These canisters are from used butane gas used for camping stoves and similar implements and are designed to be light and disposable.

"There will be a corresponding penalty to those

will be caught selling," she said.

Confiscated butanes are endorsed to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) for dispatch.

These LPG-filled canisters have been reported to have caused many a fire in different neighborhoods here.