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Aerosol Can Recycling 19 March 2025

Aerosol cans provide a convenient and effective means of dispensing a wide range of products.

The aerosol market in New Zealand is estimated at around 57 million aerosols used annually and is steadily increasing.

Typical aerosol uses include;

• Industrial products – lubricants, brake cleaners, starting fluid, belt dressing, degreasers, glass and leather cleaners, tyre shines
• Personal care products – deodorants, hair sprays, shaving cream, insect repellents
• Cleaning products – fabric sprays, air fresheners
• Paint products, all types of paint and protective coatings, line markers, timber markers and civil work marking

When all the product is used, the empty aerosol cans are discarded, and these provide a challenge in waste management.

Empty aerosols are not accepted in kerbside recycling bins.

This is because of the hazards associated with a can not being completely emptied and containing residual pressure.

Being sent to rubbish landfills means the aluminium material is not recovered, and residual propellants are released into the atmosphere.

Crushing empty aerosol cans in a specially designed unit overcomes all these problems.

Turn a waste into a resource

The UAC-20 and UAC-25 aerosol crushers are loaded with either 4 or 8 cans. In operation the cans are pierced releasing all residual pressure and material and the cans crushed to one fifth the original volume.

The gasses are treated through an activated carbon filter, and the crushed aluminium can become a saleable metal resource.