Industry Recycles Aerosol Cans
The Aerosolv® aerosol can recycling technology safely punctures aerosol cans, capturing their contents for easy unregulated disposal and recycling. The simple, manually operated puncturing unit does not require power and may conveniently be located throughout a generators facility. With the can secured within the puncturing unit, the operator depresses the handle, which causes a non-sparking puncture pin to pierce the dome of an aerosol can, relieving the compressed propellant and depleting the liquid contents. Piercing the dome of the aerosol can has proven to be the only way to deplete an aerosol can to the 3% residual level required for recycling the can. The can's contents are immediately depleted to a standard collection drum while the liquid laden propellant gases are coalesced of VOC's. The complete process takes only 15 seconds.
The Aerosolv® aerosol can recycling technology was the first and only equipment to be tested and certified for safety and the ability to process an aerosol can for recycling by the U.S. EPA under the Environmental Technology Verification program. Aerosolv® was the one and only aerosol can recycling technology chosen by the California EPA for certification to stringent state aerosol can recycling requirements, taking over 3 years to test and certify. The Department of the Navy has awarded a 5 year supply contract to GSA recipient Waste Control Systems to provide the new Aerosolv® Model 8000 exclusively tested by the Naval Surface Warfare Center for shipboard use.
The Aerosolv® aerosol can recycling system has been thoroughly tested to safely puncture aerosol cans, capturing their liquid residual contents for easy recycling or disposal. This simple, manually operated unit does not require power and is capable of processing over 200 aerosol cans per day.
Aerosol cans that have been punctured and drained are accepted by the steel industry for recycling nationwide. Aerosol cans must be empty to 3% of original weight, with the plastic lid removed (spray nozzles do not need to be removed for recycling). Residues remaining in aerosol cans are subject to federal (40 CFR 261.7) and state regulations. Because of the U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Verification the processes no longer requires permitting by state or federal agencies. To address the release of any VOC's during the puncturing process, Aerosolv® incorporates a patented combination coalescing filter to capture VOCs released during the recycling process. The new Aerosolv® combination filter includes a carbon/color-metric second stage cartridge that changes color as the carbon becomes saturated, simplifying filter replacement.
It has been determined aerosol can recycling will reduce the amount of hazardous and non-hazardous waste at a facility and is now a recognized component of the ISO 14001. The decrease in hazardous waste helps facilities meet the requirements of waste reduction under RCRA, 40 CFR 262 and Executive Order (EO) 13148, and may also help facilities reduce their generator status and lessen the amount of regulations (e.g., recordkeeping, reporting, inspections, transportation, accumulation time, emergency prevention and preparedness, emergency response) they are required to comply with under RCRA, 40 CFR 262. Recycling aerosol cans will assist regulated generators decrease the amount of solid waste going to landfills and therefore, help meet the provisions of EO 13101 requiring federal facilities (e.g., Department of Defense) to incorporate waste prevention and recycling into their daily operations. The implementation of the Aerosolv® system saves money.
Source: Aerosolv®