Overview

• BSR says up to 50 explosions occur each week in the MHKW Ruhleben boilers, with roughly 760 operating hours lost so far this year.
• The utility reports about €4 million in damage in 2025 and two workers treated for smoke inhalation, with seven boiler outages attributed to detonations.
• Around 125 nitrous-oxide cartridges from household waste are found daily, and many are improperly tossed into residual trash that feeds the incinerator.
• Operators advise that empty cartridges belong in the yellow recycling bin while partially filled or full units require hazardous-waste disposal.
• With a federal bill to bar sales and possession for minors under discussion, waste-sector groups and addiction experts urge a deposit system, clear labeling and obligations for manufacturers and retailers, citing a 2024 survey in which 57% of thermal plants reported more explosions.