Campers in California's National Parks will be banned from using disposable propane cylinders under new measures designed to protect the local environment.
Small single use propane cylinders are a popular choice among campers for powering barbecues and portable stoves, with approximately 40 to 60 million sold in the US each year. But they have been linked to the starting of wild fires, and create a huge amount of waste for the state.
John Laird, the California lawmaker responsible for the bill, said: "For years, these propane cylinders have placed a great burden on our park systems, beaches, material recovery facilities and local governments."
He said the new bill would "promote sustainable outdoor recreation".
The law means that by January 2028 only reusable or refillable cylinders can be used and sold in the state.
Particularly dangerous in wildfire-prone California woodland, single use propane cylinders can be a fire hazard if used without the correct precautions. So it's no surprise that the bill has been supported by California Firefighters throughout its passage.
Just this month, more than 10,000 Californians were ordered to evacuate from their homes when a blaze on the edge of San Bernardino National Forest grew to envelop 20,000 acres of woodland. Although a cause is yet to be identified, the hot dry conditions in the state allow fires to spread quickly and easily.
The amount of northern and central California land burned in the summer months has increased five fold from 1996 to 2021, compared to the 24 years previous, which is thought to be the result of climate change.
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