- Before recycling or disposing of aerosol cans, you must make sure they're empty. These cans contain pressurized air, chemicals or liquids. A can that is not completely empty may explode, resulting in injuries and/or the release of chemicals into the air.
- Check with the can's manufacturer if you think your aerosol can is defective. The company may take it back. If you have a half-empty can you want to throw out, check with your town's waste program. Its personnel may be able to empty the can for you with a special machine, notes Earth911. At the very least, they can advise you what to do with it.
- Depending on your community, you can either place empty aerosol cans in the garbage or in the recycling bin. Find out what to do by calling your town's waste department. If you have a partially empty can, you can hold onto it until the next hazardous waste collection day.