Proper disposal method for aerosol cans?
So what am I supposed to do? Throw it on the road? Throw it into the river? Throw it into the sea? Go their factory and gift it to them back as souvenirs?
-B_Calm.
Answer:
In India, I have not seen any proper waste treatment facility for disposing aerosol cans. I can give you the best available method (based on my professional experience). Please find the entire information for your knowledge as well:
Aerosol cans consist of three types of materials: 1) the can, 2) the product, and 3) the propellant. Any or all of these materials may meet the criteria for hazardous waste. Once a decision has been made to discard the aerosol cans, a generator has several management options available depending on whether the can is empty or still contains
product or product residues.
Intact, discarded aerosol cans are hazardous wastes if the cans still contain (1) a product or propellant that exhibits one or more of the hazardous waste characteristics of ignitability,
corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity, (2) a U-listed chemical, or (3) a chemical or residue of an acutely toxic chemical.
Emptying pressurized aerosol cans can be a dangerous operation and must be performed in a safe and environmentally protective manner. Generators should make sure that chemicals emptied into the same collection container are compatible with one another. Any gases or liquid materials removed from the cans must be managed according to applicable regulations. Processing equipment designed to remove the contents of aerosol cans is commercially available.
Throw them into the fireplace
The reason for not disposing aerosol cans in the trash, is that they contain VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) which affect the air and atmosphere. Most or all of the county sanitation dept's will accept wastes of this type, also called universal waste, according to "Hazardous Waste Regulations". There they are punctured to allow any remaining liquid to vaporize in a contained atmosphere, then the cans are disposed of with regular trash.
When they are EMPTY, you can put them in your recycle bin.
Glad that you are concerned about safe disposal in India. Rather rare, where toxic materials are thrown about in gay abandon.
Most aerosols in India are now CFC free. However, it is likely that some residual propellant and some of the product is still in the can.
If the product is an insecticide, better wait till all of it is used up. There is no shortage of insects.
Immerse the can under water and release the residual contents till no more bubbles are seen. Flatten the can and put along with regular garbage unless segregation is required by local rules.
Dispose of the water.
Aerosol cans disposal is dependent on the aerosolized material in the can. Many solvents/cleaners will contain VOC's and be flammable. Flammable liquids (aerosol cans included) are considered hazardous waste (not universal waste - if the contents are an EPA-registered pesticide then it is universal waste) via EPA's RCRA. The best way to dispose of it is to use it all up as intended. When empty, puncture the can (preferably with a non-sparking tool) and recycle the container. If complete usage is not feasible, give it to a household haz waste collection center or if in large quantities or for an industrial company, contact a licensed hazardous waste management company for haz waste disposal. They'll pick it up and send it to a suitable TSDF (disposal facility where it will be responsibly burned in most cases). If the aerosol can contents are not flammable, there are no federal regulations preventing you from throwing them in the trash. Best practice is to use it all up as intended or give it to someone else who could use it. If not feasible, maybe a household haz waste collection center can take it. If placed in the trash try to empty its contents, they otherwise would pose a safety hazard since they are pressurized containers.
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