More about aerosol and the environment:
A lot of people don't know that aerosol spray cans are recyclable—but they are!
Most products that come in aerosol cans can be found in substitute, potentially more environmentally-friendly packaging, or even made at home. But if you're going to use aerosol, or if you find some old aerosol cans while doing some cleanup around the house, it's important to note that while they can—and should—be recycled, they should also be completely empty. (Never throw them in your trash—they can explode in a landfill!)
As smart2begreen notes, when aerosol cans are not empty, disposing of them can be hazardous: "The contents under pressure inside are highly flammable and, if they explode, can injure people - as well as dangerously spread toxic chemicals into the air and soil."
Aerosolv, a company that has designed a system specifically to improve the recycling process of aerosol cans, further explains:
An aerosol can can't be relieved of pressure through normal use. Even when "empty", the retained propellant can react to heat or pressure when crushed or bailed. With the system, you can safely puncture the aerosol can, relieve the pressure, and collect any residual liquids. By recycling the punctured aerosol cans, you
If you find yourself needing to recycle aerosol cans in bulk—a need that at least one company has found surprisingly popular, plus you never know what people get up to in their basements—learn about the Aerosolv system. And then, for the future, try researching some aerosol substitutes, so that the question of potentially toxic recycling, or landfill explosions, don't need to be issues.
(And, a small tip for anyone searching for environmental information on aerosol: take note of where your information is sourced, as one of the first Google search results is the Consumer Aerosol Products Council.)
