Aerosol Brake Cleaner used in the various
professional industries are packaged in
aerosol spray cans. These Aerosol cans are
thin-walled steel containers pressurized
with one of several types of hydrocarbon
propellants, such as butane. When the
aerosol can is empty, the propellant and
product are gone, the cans that remain are
not considered hazardous wastes by
themselves. However, partially empty aerosol
spray cans may be regulated as hazardous
wastes because they contain ignitable
solvents.
Recycling
Under the federal Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA), aerosol cans may be
recycled if they have been emptied through
normal use or punctured and drained to
remove significant liquids. Some states such
as California have more stringent
regulations than RCRA. Be sure to
investigate your own state regulations
before recycling aerosol cans. The shops are
responsible for properly managing any
captured wastes recovered from puncturing
and draining.
Although spray cans may be discarded in the
trash, they are recyclable due to the fact
that the majority of the can is steel; in
fact, the typical spray can contains at
least 25% recycled steel. A number of
recyclers that collect drained oil filters
for recycling will also accept empty spray
cans along with the filters. The oil filters
and spray cans are shredded and melted down
to make new steel.
Managing Empty Aerosol Containers
Empty means the can contains no product and
no pressure. Empty containers are exempt
from hazardous waste rules. They have no
special storage, labeling or disposal
requirements. Recycle them, if possible, or
send them to an incinerator that will
recover the metal. If you have a small
number of empty aerosol containers, they may
be able to be mixed with your solid waste.
Check with your solid waste handler first.
Managing Non-Empty Aerosol Containers
First, try to return or exchange
malfunctioning aerosol spray cans.
Malfunctioning aerosol spray cans returned
to the supplier or manufacturer are
considered “product” not “waste.” Hazardous
waste rules do not apply. You must follow
applicable Department of Transportation
(DOT) requirements for transport. Non-empty
aerosols that cannot be returned or
exchanged must usually be managed as a
hazardous waste. Regardless of the contents,
most aerosols are hazardous because they are
ignitable due to the type of propellants
used.
Storage and Labeling of Waste Aerosols
Waste aerosol spray cans whose contents
(including propellants) are non-hazardous
have no hazardous waste storage
requirements. Follow fire protection
requirements for product storage. Store
hazardous waste aerosols in a closed
container marked with:
The words "Hazardous Waste", A clear
description of the waste, and The
accumulation start-date (the date you first
placed waste in the container).
If you have only a few aerosol cans, you may
mark them individually as outlined above,
and place them in a fire-safe storage
cabinet. You may designate a special cabinet
for waste, or reserve and mark a special
section of your product cabinet for waste.
If storing incompatible materials, store
them in separate containers (such as plastic
dishpans) within the waste storage area.
Perform and document weekly inspections of
the waste.
Disposal / Recycling Options
Non-empty aerosol cans, even though they
have been determined to be non-hazardous,
have few disposal options. They generally
cannot be sent to a landfill or a solid
waste incinerator. They will probably need
to be managed by a company specializing in
hazardous and problem waste disposal.
Aerosol cans containing hazardous product or
propellant should be shipped to a hazardous
waste facility for proper disposal.
Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity
Generators (CESQGs) have the additional
option of taking waste aerosol cans to a
CESQG collection site.
Companies that regularly have significant
numbers of similar waste aerosols may be
interested in using an aerosol-puncturing
device. (Use of a puncturing device does not
require a waste-treatment permit at this
time.)
Written by Renegade Parts Washers
