Aerosol can products are recyclable, just like any other empty steel container!

Given the public’s concern about solid waste disposal, the aerosol industry teamed with the steel industry to promote the collection of empty aerosol cans in recycling programs nationwide. Thousands of communities now include aerosol product recycling in both household residential and curbside buy-back and drop-off programs.

The container that an aerosol product comes in is made either from steel (about 75%) or aluminum (about 25%).  Post-consumer metal cans (food, beverage, paint and aerosol products) are in demand because they are made of steel or aluminum, both of which are valuable and can be recycled infinitely without the metal breaking-down or compromising the quality.  In fact, today’s steel aerosol cans contain an average of 25 percent recycled content.

Aerosol can products, like all other household and personal care product containers, should be disposed of properly.

Recycling is the best way to dispose of an empty household aerosol container. But if your community does not yet accept aerosol containers for recycling, the following guidelines may be useful:

• Use up the entire product purchased. Since aerosol containers are airtight and the contents will not spoil or evaporate, they can be used and stored over long periods of time.
• Dispose of the empty container through normal household waste disposal according to label directions, or contact your local solid waste disposal office for instructions for specific products.
• Never dispose of an aerosol container in roadside dumps or open trash fires.

Source: AerosolProducts.org