'Off the scale' haul of nitrous oxide cans found

82 purple cylinder-shaped canisters on the grass. They are surrounded by green and blue plastic bags full of rubbish.

Image source, Harry MachinImage caption,

Peterborough Litter Wombles collected 82 canisters alongside dozens of bags of rubbish and fly-tipping from the area in the East of Peterborough

ByShariqua Ahmed/BBCPeterborough

Published9 minutes ago

A voluntary litter-picking group has uncovered what it believes is one of the largest hauls of discarded nitrous oxide canisters it has ever found in a single day, collecting 82.

Members of Peterborough Litter Wombles discovered the canisters around Norman Road Car Park, highlighting ongoing concerns about the misuse of the class C drug and the litter it leaves behind.

Harry Machin, from the group, said the location was one of several hotspots where volunteers regularly encounter nitrous oxide paraphernalia.

"Some of them [canisters] are historic, but an awful lot of them we find are current," he said.

Machin said the scale of the latest canister find was far beyond what volunteers normally collect during a session, which is between three and 12 on average.

"This 82 was off the scale," Machin added.

He also said volunteers are increasingly finding larger canisters rather than the smaller silver versions that were once more common.

Cambridgeshire Police said the force had disposed of 972 canisters over the past 12 months and confirmed officers had also noticed a rise in the larger canisters being discarded.

Stronger enforcement

Nitrous oxide, a colourless gas used in medicine, dentistry and the catering industry, was made a Class C drug in 2023.

Ahead of Peterborough's full council meeting, Conservative councillor Ishfaq Hussain has submitted a motion, external calling for a public awareness campaign involving the council, police, health services, schools, and community groups to educate residents about the dangers of nitrous oxide and the laws governing its use.

He is also calling for stronger enforcement action against the illegal sale of the substance.

The proposal will be debated on Wednesday at the Fletton Quays office.

Residents who find discarded canisters are advised to take them to a Household Waste Recycling Centre for safe disposal.

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