CAA gives conditional nod to resume LPG distribution

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has allowed Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) companies to resume distribution of cylinders from yesterday, subject to three new guidelines recommended by a technical committee.  

Accordingly, the two LPG companies will be allowed to distribute gas from: i) newly unloaded shipment, which has been approved, ii) with the addition of a high level of odorant chemical Ethyl Mercaptan to help identify leaks by its smell, and iii) one in every 100 cylinders should be given to the CAA for inspection purposes.

Following the LPG-linked fires and explosions recorded at domestic and commercial level countrywide, the CAA on 2 December directed State-run Litro Gas and private-owned LAUGFS Gas to halt issuance of LPG cylinders to the market until new guidelines were issued along with test reports on the quality of the 3,750-ton new shipment of gas.

The move was announced on Saturday after random samples of the new LPG shipment were tested at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) laboratory and based on the recommendation of the technical committee experts.

“The companies should act on the recommendation of the committee to release the LPG to the market. The relevant companies should allow the committee to monitor the production process at any time as required,” CAA Chairman Major General (Retd.) Shantha Dissanayake said.

The technical committee consists of the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB), Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI), Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) and the CAA.