AUTHORITIES should ban the import the import of butane gas canister into the country because of its dangerous and hazardous effects.
Medical doctor Dr Pedical Togamae expressed this after a six-year-old boy nearly lost his life at Burns Creek when an empty butane gas canister he was playing with exploded and burned his face.
The boy was rushed to the hospital with a badly-burnt face.
Dr Togamae said last year a similar claim of explosion has been posted in the Facebook but no one took them seriously.
“While we understand that the product was labelled, sometime our people are always ignorant to read or are illiterate and cannot read the safety instructions,” he said.
He called on the responsible authority to seriously consider these and maybe just ban the product.
The Solomon Star understands that Butane gas canister was imported and introduced in the country by KASU distributor in Honiara.
It gained popularity in the city because it was affordable and also handy more so other shops in and around the city are currently selling it.
Dr Togamae also stressed that the other sad thing about the use of this product is that people are not disposing it in the proper place.
“After using the product our people are disposing it left and right which can be accessed by our children who will then use them as toys,” he stressed.
He also pointed out that that itself posed a great risk to the environment and to the people especially the children.
“Rightful authority needs to do something to protect our environment and its hazard to innocent children,” Dr Togamae said.
Comments are being sought from relevant authorities.
By ANDREW FANASIA
