New cooking gas rule takes effect

“To promote availability, cylinders are fitted with standardised valves so that consumers can buy gas from any retail outlet without sticking to a specific brand,” said PIEA’s general manager Wanjiku Manyara.

She said that is illegal to fill another marketer’s cylinder.

The management committee of cylinder pool is composed of representatives from Total, Oillybia, BOC KenolKobil, Kenya Shell, Ministry of Energy and Kenya Bureau of Standards.

Ms Manyara said pool members are required to adhere to code of conduct, have trained workers, a minimum of 5,000 cylinders, take public liability and execute a security bond of Sh5 million.

Imported gas under July 2009 rules must conform to requirements set by Kenya Bureau of Standards and any accident related to transporting of LPG must be reported in writing to ERC in 48 hours.