The gas bottling companies will be obliged, starting in May 2019, to implement a location system that allows their cylinders to be traced at all stages of the commercial chain, including retailers and households. This is stipulated in the ‘General Regulations for the Regulation of the Supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)’ published last May.
According to Guillermo Varela, executive director of the Asociación GS Uno Costa Rica, with the application of the regulation, the packer is under the obligation to monitor that traceability is implemented throughout the entire supply chain.
“Currently, the lack of a traceability system prevents us from identifying the person or persons responsible for an accident, that is why it is important for Costa Ricans to demand that cylinder suppliers comply with the legislation and thus guarantee the safety of LPG consumers”, he said.
According to figures from the Fire Department, so far the current year, there have been 2,788 emergencies related to LP gas cylinders, of which 2,678 have occurred in homes or shops and 37 of these have ended in gas cylinders burned. This means an increase of 11.7% with respect to emergencies presented in the same period of 2017.
In addition, according to data from the Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep), there are 3 concession companies to pack the gas in the country and it is estimated that 800 thousand cylinders of 25 pounds and 100 thousand of 100 pounds are mobilized. LPG is used mainly in the industry (41%), followed by the residential sector (37%).