SON to withdraw15-year-old LPG cylinders from circulation





The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) at the weekend, disclosed that Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders of 15 years and above would, henceforth, be removed from circulation, a moved aimed at sanitizing the LPG sector. Just as the agency said it would pursue the prequalification exercise for LPG cylinders in the country, Director General of SON, Mr. Joseph Odumodu, disclosed in Lagos that it has become imperative to tackle the menace associated with the LPG cylinders.

He said SON would soon flag-off a campaign to remove old cylinders from circulation and Cylinders of 15 years and above, which are the agreed period for revalidation, would be affected. He said that all the stakeholders need to join hands with the SON to start doing something to safeguard the sector. According to him, some of the things that SON would be seeking to do, going forward, is to ensure that all importers of LPG cylinders have a defined programme for the maintenance of cylinders.

In addition, he said operator would have trained personnel on how to inspect and re-qualify LPG cylinders. Other prequalification condition are the expiry dates of cylinders shall be engraved or embossed on all cylinders, adding that there was need to start setting the right standards in the sector. According to him, a Technical Committee comprising members from all sectors had met to develop a framework for the workability of the scheme. The SON Chief noted that the exercise was part of the organization’s campaign of zero tolerance to substandard products in the country.

According to him, aside enhancing safety of lives and property in the industry, revalidation of cylinders would also boost the LPG business as well as create more confidence for consumers. Odumodu noted that part of SON statutory mandate is to protect lives and property through standards. He said the prequalification exercise would also eliminate most of the sub-standard cylinders from circulation and also lead to the scrapping of old cylinders.

“ We have been meeting with key sectors of the economy and operators in the LPG sector, especially for industrial safety while ensuring that imported LPG cylinders and those produced in Nigeria meet the requirements of NIS 69: 2006. While seeking all the collaboration of the stakeholders’ to ensure quality gas is also dispense to the consumers.

According to him, a situation whereby cylinders are imported or produced in Nigeria and sold to users without any defined programme for prequalification or maintenance would no longer be acceptable.



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