Volunteer stunned after discovering bizarre scattered objects during park cleanup: 'Pretty sad to see'

The waste created by nitrous oxide canisters is no laughing matter.

A post in the r/Bristol subreddit highlighted the immense waste issue surrounding the recreational use of nitrous oxide, which is also known as laughing gas.

The original poster shared a photo showing dozens of these metal canisters that were all discarded in Trym Valley, which is a small park in the city of Bristol in southwest England. The Redditor found the canisters while litter picking, as part of the volunteer group Trouts in the Trym.

These canisters, filled with nitrous oxide, are culinarily known as cream chargers and are used for whipping cream or creating edible foams; however, they are also commonly used as a recreational drug. In the U.K., laughing gas — informally known as NOS — is "the third most used drug among 16- to 59-year-olds in England and Wales," according to the Home Office.

Inhaling nitrous oxide can cause a short-lived giddy euphoria, which can also cause dizziness and confusion. It is classed as a dissociative drug by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. 

In the U.S., the law surrounding nitrous oxide usage differs by state, but in the U.K., it is an illegal Class C drug that comes with a two-year prison sentence for using the drug and up to 14 years for supplying or producing it.

Beyond the legality, the usage of nitrous oxide causes massive environmental issues, as the canisters are difficult to recycle properly and are often discarded in parks and streets. They are pressurized containers, so they should never be thrown away in the trash. Instead, they should be recycled in specific metal recycling bins or sent to dedicated recycling centers.

The canisters can cause health hazards to children and local wildlife, as well as potentially contaminate the soil if they end up in landfills. 

One Redditor praised the OP's efforts, saying: "Ahhh it looks as though you're one of the amazing people who volunteer to clean up the green spaces. Thank you so much… Your efforts are much appreciated."

"That's pretty sad to see," another said. 

Someone else commented: "Went to an end of waste recycling facility recently and they now get around 25 tonnes of these a year up from 0 around 2 years ago."

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