In the UK, we get through an astonishing 550 million metal aerosols each year.
Aerosols are used to package many products such as:
- hairspray
- deodorant
- shaving foam
- furniture polish
- oven cleaners
Recycling them means we can make new cans from old ones, cutting carbon emissions and reducing the need to mine for more metal.
Just remember the cans must be empty before you recycle them in your brown bin.
To check that they are empty simply:
- spray - if you hear no hiss and nothing comes out; it’s empty
- squirt - if nothing squirts out; it’s empty
- shake - if you hear no sloshing; it’s empty
If its empty, then please recycle it.
What if there's stuff in the can you can't get out?
If your aerosol cans still have stuff left in them, they can’t go in the brown recycling bin.
Put them to one side and drop them off at the Recycling Centre when you next visit.
Never squash or pierce an aerosol can if its empty of full
Find out more
You can find out more at the Recycle Aluminium website,