Several local councils and the waste processing sector are suing the state over the consequences of the ban on laughing gas.

The problem started when the use of the popular party drug laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, was banned at the start of last year without any system for disposing of the canisters, NVRD director Wendy de Wild told the AD at the time.

A deposit system, where empty cylinders could be handed in to providers, was abandoned when the ban came into effect, resulting in dozens of potentially dangerous explosions as cylinders were thrown out with the household waste.

Some hundreds of thousands have ended up at the processing plants one year on from the ban, resulting in damage to incinerators of over €50 million, the sector claims.

Waste processing industry body NVRD said it had asked the government for compensation but that none was forthcoming, leading to the decision to sue.

“We understand the need for a ban. But we don’t think local councils should be responsible for the unforeseen consequences which we feel are disproportional,” NVRD director Wendy de Wild told Nu.nl.

“We are concerned about the safety of our workers every day and the costs are spiralling. This is simply not sustainable,” she said.