Earlier this month, some of the canisters were found dumped in the Curragh
Kildare County Council has described the unsafe disposal of nitrous oxide canisters as "a major national issue".
It comes as Fine Gael Councillor for Kildare/Newbridge MD Peggy O' Dwyer asked for the Council to explore options for safe disposal of these large canisters.
The gas is sold legally for medical, industrial, and commercial purposes, and is easily obtained online.
In addition, Revenue has the power to seize canisters of the gas where officers believe they are intended for illicit purposes.
A national working group has been established by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE), comprising representatives from DCEE, local authorities, the LGMA and other relevant stakeholders.
The purpose of the group is to develop a consistent national approach to the management of nitrous oxide canisters.
It's currently developing operational guidance for local authority staff and assessing the requirements for a national training programme to ensure personnel can safely manage nitrous oxide canisters.
In parallel, business cases are being developed to assess training requirements and associated costs for local authorities, as well as management, storage and disposal arrangements for recovered canisters.
In response to Cllr O'Dwyer, KCC said the issue is "not unique to Kildare County Council and is being experienced by local authorities across the country".
"The challenges associated with the collection, handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of nitrous oxide canisters have been recognised as a national issue requiring a coordinated response," it added.
Speaking on Kildare Today, Fine Gael Councillor for Kildare/Newbridge MD Peggy O' Dwyer
"From the meeting, without having anything in writing, we were led to believe that we should hear something soon, for the point of view of safe disposal, which will include the training of staff.
"It needs to be done, the country is littered with them, our local authority depots won't take them," concluded Cllr O' Dwyer.
The full interview can be heard below:
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