120k nitrous oxide canisters disposed of in 2026

Cork waste disposal company Veolia Ireland has said that it has disposed of over 120,000 nitrous oxide canisters this year.

Following a visit Veolia's facility in Fermoy, Cork East TD Pat Buckley and Dublin Mid-West TD Mark Ward have called for action over what they said was an “epidemic” of nitrous oxide misuse.

Veolia are the first company to operate a nitrous oxide disposal system on the island of Ireland. In the last year, Veolia has disposed of over 120,000 nitrous oxide canisters, which Deputy Ward said is being commonly used as a source of an “illicit high”.

However, waste management services have expressed concern over the dangers of disposing of nitrous oxide canisters, which sometimes explode during disposal, and can cause millions of euros of damage.

“You only have to walk though any housing estate or park, and you will see discarded nitrous oxide canisters on the ground.

“Over the last number of years, we have had many reports of the long-term health problems associated with nitrous oxide misuse, including in a numbness in their hands, feet, and extremities, serious issues with balance, problems with their heart rate, mental health issues, neurological conditions, spinal cord damage, and frostbite,” he said.

In Clondalkin, Dublin the Youth, Drug and Alcohol Task Force disclosed that children as young as 12 were accessing their services after using nitrous oxide, Ward said.

“There has also been a 175% increase in the amount of young people accessing the HSE Adolescent Addiction Services for treatment,” he said.

The Sale of Nitrous Oxide and Related Products Bill, 2025, which was sponsored by Deputy Ward and which is on a second reading in the Dáil, proposes that wholesalers will require a licence to sell nitrous oxide.

It also proposes that retail sellers will need to be on an approved register and can only sell to exempt purchasers including registered doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, veterinarians, licenced catering businesses, and food businesses.

“The Government has had their heads in the sand and has not produced any measures to tackle this issue. They delayed my legislation by nine months, but now they must support the passage of this through the Oireachtas without delay,” said Ward.

The legislation acknowledged that an outright ban on the substance – which is used extensively in a number of industries including in kitchens and across the hospitality industry – would be impossible due to the potential effects on businesses.