A full barbeque gas cylinder has been pulled from a truck load of collected recyclables at the Narangba Waste Management Facility, narrowly avoiding a potential explosion or fire.
Mayor Flannery said the life-threatening incident is a stark reminder to residents of the need to dispose of their waste correctly.
“The fact that nothing went wrong from the wheelie bin, to the collection truck, to processing at the recycling facility is a miracle,” he said.
“This could have been a real catastrophe and, unforgivably, It’s become all too common for our frontline waste handlers to come across dangerous objects and unsavoury items on a weekly basis.
“Thoughtless waste disposal literally puts the lives and wellbeing of our waste handlers at risk, and unfortunately the gas cylinder is just one example of the serious dangers of their job.
“I’m not asking you to be Captain Planet, but I am saying we each have an individual responsibility to think about what we put in our bins at home, at work or while out and about.
“Although our staff dealt with this situation in a professional manner and no one was harmed, if that gas bottle had been crushed the explosion would have been disastrous.
“If you’re at all confused Council’s website has a comprehensive list of what you can and can’t throw into bins and what should be taken to a waste management facility for correct disposal, so please check it out if you don’t know what to do with an item.
“Please remember that your waste only leaves your house thanks to the many hardworking people who collect, transport and manage our waste - I don’t ever want them put at risk by careless or even reckless disposal decisions.”
You can also checkout the Visy website for further recycling information and what happens with your recyclable items placed in the yellow-lidded recycling bin.