The Market Surveillance Directorate within the MCCAA is currently carrying out checks with respect to the required periodic testing of gas cylinders, including valves.
Concurrently, the Directorate has also made ad hoc sample checks of gas regulators and valves that are currently available on the market. A total of nine (9) different regulators of different brands and the three (3) valves of the two different brands made available on the market have been lifted from the market and are currently being checked. At prima facie, no concerns have been raised following visual inspections, and documentary checks indicate that the regulators have been manufactured in line with the appropriate standard.
Dimensional checks are currently being carried out and preliminary results do not indicate that these products pose a risk to consumers. Further in-depth operational testing of the regulators is also scheduled.
The MCCAA takes this opportunity to remind consumers to always check the regulators and piping and to make sure that the lifetime of these products has not elapsed. It is also important that regulators used are compliant with the following information, which information should be found on the product:
On the product label:
The standard EN16129
The type of gas it is designed to operate with, in Malta LPG (liquid petroleum gas)
On the underside of the regulator:
Manufacturing date
Dimension of valves that it is designed to operate with, in Malta Ø 22mm
On the packaging or information leaflet:
Lifetime of the product
Instructions on how to operate the product
One may contact the MCCAA for further information or queries on [email protected].