Aerosolv® Aerosol Can Disposal System

No, all industry standard drums have 2" openings, which is all that is required for an Aerosolv® system to be installed. However, Aerosolv® should not be installed on a drum smaller than 30-gallon capacity to allow proper displacement of compressed gas released during puncturing.

Approximately 4,000 cans can be punctured before the drum is at maximum recommended capacity. The drum should not be filled more than 75% full to provide proper displacement for released contents.

Simply call the waste handler who handles your other hazardous waste and manifest according to collected contents.

A waste profile of a worst-case scenario, whereby all known aerosol residuals are listed (excluding pesticides and insecticides). Reputable waste handlers should accept this profile for co-mingled residuals, thus avoiding the expense of profiling the drum.

Not every material listed on the waste profile will be present in the drum. However, the collected residuals in any combination will not exceed the percentages listed, which are the maximum percentages found in any industrial aerosol product (excluding pesticides, insecticides and caustics).

Hazardous waste handler will charge from $275 to $360 per 55-gallon drum (estimated) for proper transportation and recycling, reclamation and/or disposal. This represents the total disposal cost for the residual liquids of 4,000 spent aerosol cans. The solid waste disposal cost of unpunctured aerosol cans averages $625 per 125 cans. On a direct comparison of 4,000 spent cans, the cost savings with Aerosolv® ranges from $20,000.

The compressed gas seeks escape through the point of least resistance, which is the filter. However, a minimal amount of gas may remain in the drum. To effectively maintain a prolonged seal, leave the last can punctured within the Aerosolv® housing until the next time puncturing is resumed.

The filter relieves at 3 psi, eliminating the possibility of unsafe pressure within the drum. Additionally, the activated carbon portion of the filter was designed to serve as a secondary flame arrestor.

Yes, caustics (such as oven cleaners) and pesticides or insecticides should not be collected into a drum with other liquid residuals. They can, however, be collected into segregated single-content drums designated "pesticides only," "insecticides only," or "caustics only." Also, white metals—typically labeled as "cold galvanized" should be separated and not co-mingled with any other aerosol residuals.

Yes, but not because of the primary product they contain. Spent aerosol cans would be considered empty, and therefore exempted from regulation, were it not for the fact that the propellant compressed gas is reactive to heat and is still present in an empty can (40 CFR 261.23 (a) (6)).

No, according to the EPA's Office of Solid Waste, a steel aerosol can that does not contain a significant amount of liquid (e.g., a can that has been punctured and drained) would meet the definition of scrap metal (40 CFR 261.1(c) (6)), and, if it is to be recycled, would be exempt from regulation under 40 CFR 261.6(a) (3) (iv).

No, permitting is only required when processing 15 pounds or more per day, which is not the case with the Aerosolv® system. Permitting generally applies to gas-filling facilities such as welding gases, large gas cylinders, etc.

In many cases, there is an OSHA requirement for grounding of vessels to prevent any build-up of static electricity transferred to a drum. The anti-static wire grounds the drum and the Aerosolv® unit simultaneously. The Aerosolv® system itself is not capable of generating a static charge. It is non-powered and utilizes a non-sparking puncture pin.

Due to the variety of chemicals used in aerosol cans, some of which are hazardous, fully saturated carbon filters should be considered hazardous waste, unless independently tested to the EPA's guidelines and proven non-hazardous. Please dispose of them in accordance with local, state, and Federal laws and check with authorities having jurisdiction.