Aerosol cans are a part of our daily lives but not everyone is aware of the proper ways to dispose them. It is very important to remember that aerosol cans are often considered to be hazardous wastes since the remnants of the propellants might end up hurting individuals. Here is more about them.
Used Aerosol cans: They might not be as “empty” as you think
The aerosol cans contain both the product and the propellant. The product of course refers to the main product used by you (for example, mousse, hair gel, cream etc) while the propellant is the gaseous substance which forces the product out of the can once the nozzle of the container is pressed.
Now even after the entire product is used up, the propellant is still inside the container and you have to ensure that the propellant is being drained out of the can before it is dispensed in the recycling can or empty landfills. When the propellant gets exposed to heat, it might even lead the can to burst thereby hurting the landfill workers. So, aerosol cans are often treated as hazardous waste in certain states.
You can drain out the propellant before disposing the spray cans. Spread out some newspapers on the floor and keep on spraying the cans until they stop making the hissing noise. Once that stops you can be rest assured that the container is empty.
In order to be doubly sure you can take the container to a licensed puncturer. However, do not try to flatten or puncture the can yourself since there is possibility of the remnants of the propellants hurting you.
Aerosol Can Disposal: Different States are Governed by different Regulations
Owing to the factors mentioned above, aerosol cans are treated as hazardous waste and Aerosol can disposal is approached with special care. Please ensure that you are following the regulations of your state when it comes to dispensing these cans. If partially empty aerosol containers are treated as hazardous wastes in your area then make sure you are taking your cans to the hazardous waste facility instead of putting them in the recycling bins or relegating them to the empty landfills arbitrarily.
Recyclability of Aerosol Cans
Aerosol cans are highly recyclable since they are made up of steel and aluminum – both of which can be recycled. They are often recycled in the curb along with other materials such as paper, cans and bottles. However, this can only be done when they are fully empty. Partially filled cans cannot be dispensed in this fashion owing to reasons already mentioned above. You can get in touch with your local solid waste service provider in a bid to find out more about this.
It is very important to ensure that you are educating yourself properly about the ways in which you should dispose the aerosol containers. Posts like these will be of help – hopefully
So we would suggest that you keep on reading more such stuff and keep expanding your horizons in this regard.