The Most Sustainable Aerosol Waste Recycling Solution in the U.S
US Ecology is proud to be the first and only company in the U.S. offering patent-pending Aerosol Recycling Technology (ART) for aerosol can waste that produces recyclable metal, reusable alternative and liquid fuels, and is landfill free with zero emissions.
What Sets Our Technology Apart?
The unique, patent-pending technology developed by US Ecology’s team turns discarded aerosol waste into new, compatible end products that can recirculate into the market for a broad array of reuse to safely fuel the future.
All Locations
Our footprint of state of the art facilities allows us to safely and efficiently support all your environmental and emergency response needs. Learn more about our 130+ locations across North America and around the world.
Get Started
Our experts are ready to support your environmental and emergency response needs.
The Aerosol Cans Market
Aerosol cans are self-dispensing systems containing substances in pressurized canisters, usually metal cans. Using a metering or continuous valve, the user can dispense the product formulation, usually a foam, fine mist, or spray.
What Are Aerosol Cans Made of?
Manufacturers create the main body of aerosol cans using either aluminum or steel. The steel cans usually come with a thin layer of tin. Producers also sometimes create the containers by combining two or three metals.
Are Aerosol Cans Recyclable?
As a conscious consumer looking to create less waste, recycling becomes one of the key modes of disposal. If you’re wondering if you can recycle your used aerosol can, then the answer is yes.
How To Properly Recycle Aerosol Cans
The pressurized contents of aerosol cans can prove hazardous in certain conditions, such as when heated. As such, when pressurized liquid or gas remains in the aerosol container, it may prove hazardous waste.
Are Aerosol Cans Bad For The Environment?
Traditional aerosol spray cans contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), ozone-depleting chemicals affecting the ozone layer. However, due to growing concerns of environmental degradation, the Environmental Protection Agency and Clean Air Act in the U.S. set regulations that checked the use of CFCs in goods.
Conclusion
Sending your aerosol containers to be recycled prevents them from ending up in landfills.
How to dispose of aerosol cans?
The right way to dispose of aerosol cans starts with knowing what was in the can and if it is empty or not. Empty cans can go in your recycling bin. Full cans should be emptied if they are non-hazardous or otherwise disposed of through a household hazardous waste program.
Where to put aerosol cans?
Place the Empty Aerosol Can in Your Recycling Bin. Remove the plastic lid and place the empty aerosol can in your curbside recycling bin. Do not squash it or pierce it in any way. The plastic lid can go into your curbside recycling as it is a rigid plastic and is large enough to be picked up by the machines.
What is an aerosol can made of?
Aerosol cans are made from either aluminum or steel. They have a plastic spray nozzle and lid. The can contains a liquid product, like hairspray, and propellant to help propel the liquid from the can when the nozzle’s pressed. When you press the nozzle, the propellant expands, forcing liquid through a small hole in the nozzle.
What happens when you press a propellant nozzle?
When you press the nozzle, the propellant expands, forcing liquid through a small hole in the nozzle. The liquid is dispensed as an aerosol or mist, and the propellant evaporates. They used to use chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) as the propellant. However, back in the 1970s, it was discovered that these CFCs were destroying the ozone layer.
What happens when you push the button on a hairspray can?
Every time you push the button on your hairspray can or bug spray, you are releasing these hydrocarbons or other gases into the atmosphere. Below we will provide some alternatives to help you reduce your use of aerosol cans around the home.
How to get rid of odors in air freshener?
Using refillable containers that use compressed air as a propell ant where available. Use natural cleaners like vinegar for odor removal. Or make your own air freshener. Use a pump-spray container or refillable spray bottle where possible. The opportunities for reusing aerosol can is limited, however.
What gases are in propellant cans?
Nowadays, the propellant varies depending on the content of the can but might include nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, or hydrocarbons like propane and butane. These gases may not deplete ozone, but that doesn’t mean they are good. These gases are known to contribute to global warming.
Recycling Solutions for a Circular Economy
We’ve engineered a smart and resourceful process that is capable of recovering all components from aerosol streams
Industry Solutions
We work directly with the manufacture, retailer, and third-party handlers of aerosol cans to find sustainable solutions for every product’s life cycle.
COMPLETE LIFE CYCLE RECYCLING
Our processes can recycle a variety of consumer, post-consumer, and industrial aerosol products. We accept full, used, and empty aerosol cans in bulk as well as non-typical aerosol products like camping cylinders and inhalers. Serving both LTL and FTL customer quantities.
What are aerosol cans used for?
Rule Summary. Aerosol cans are widely used for dispensing a broad range of products including paints, solvents, pesticides, food and personal care products, and many others. The Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA) estimates that 3.75 billion aerosol cans were filled in the United States in 2016 for use by commercial ...
What is the EPA's rule on aerosol cans?
With this rule, EPA adds hazardous waste aerosol cans to those “universal wastes” regulated under title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 273. This change in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations is expected to reduce regulatory costs for a wide variety of establishments generating and managing aerosol cans, ...
What is the federal universal waste program?
The federal Universal Waste program, established in 1995, creates a streamlined mechanism for collection and recycling of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste. From 1995 to 2018, four waste streams had been added to the federal Universal Waste program.
Aerosol Can Disposal System
Safely recycle with Aerosolv ®, the original aerosol can recycling system with over 25 years of experience in helping environmentally-sensitive companies legally dispose of spent aerosol cans. Choose from a variety of systems and budgets. EPA verified.
Propane Cylinder Recycling
The Prosolv ® propane cylinder recycling system is a safe and economical way to dispose of calibration gas cylinders by effectively removing the sealing sleeve and internal valve stem from propane, propylene, mapp and calibration gas cylinders for safe disposal.
Parts & Accessories
To ensure all Aerosolv ® and Prosolv ® recycling systems continue to operate at peak performance, Justrite ® offers an assortment of replacement filters, accessories and parts.
How to get rid of aerosol cans?
The easiest way to get rid of the aerosol can is simply to use the product until the can is empty, and then dispose of the can in the recycling or trash.
What to do if aerosol can is empty?
Alternatively, if the aerosol can is not empty, try to use or donate the remainder of the product. Otherwise, find a hazardous waste collection site, where your can will be properly and safely disposed of. To learn how to get paid for your empty aerosol cans, keep reading!
What does "hazardous" mean in aerosol cans?
Community Answer. The "dangerous for the environment" refers to the compressed gas that is used in aerosol cans to help propel the contents. "Hazardous" covers a lot of things. But it's just used to inform you that it's a dangerous product if used wrong.
Can you puncture an aerosol can?
Aerosol cans are pressurized, which means they may explode if tampered with. Never attempt to puncture an aerosol can or expose it to extreme heat. Do not attempt to remove the spray nozzle from the can, even though it is usually plastic. If the can has a plastic lid, you can remove this for recycling.
Can you throw away an aerosol can?
1. Do not throw away an aerosol can that is not empty. It may not seem like a big deal to throw a partially full can of hairspray or cleaning product in the garbage, but it can actually be very dangerous. Because aerosol cans are pressurized, they explode if they are exposed to high heat or flattened.
Can you shake an aerosol can?
Painting Specialist Expert Interview. 21 July 2020. If you're not sure if the can is empty, try shaking it. You shouldn't feel any liquid moving inside. Aerosol cans that are not empty must be treated differently, as disposing of a partially full aerosol can can be dangerous.
Can you sell soda cans at a scrap yard?
If you want to be sure before you visit the scrap yard, call ahead of time. This may not be worth your time if you only have one or two cans. If you have a large number of cans, however, it can really add up. While you're at the scrap yard, you may be able to sell other metal scraps as well, like aluminum soda cans.