Can Deodorants & Aerosols Be Recycled?

Many households in the UK proactively try to recycle as much of our waste as possible since local authorities started providing a collection service in 2003 following the government passing the Household Waste Recycling Act. Many councils provide households with a recycling pamphlet on a yearly basis that outlines general tips on recycling, what items can be recycled and up to date collection timetables. Despite this, there are still a handful of items that many of us don’t recycle due to misconceptions or due to our uncertainty of whether or not they can be recycled.

One of the items which is most widely placed in to general waste when in fact it can be recycled are deodorants. Aerosol canisters are one of the most popular forms of containers for deodorants in the UK and despite our assumptions, aerosol cans are widely recycled by household collection schemes.

What Are Aerosol and Deodorant Cans Made From?

Within the UK market roughly 60% of aerosols are made from tinplated steel and approximately 40% are made from aluminium. Both of these types of metal are recyclable, along with plastic and rubber components such as the lid, valve and dip tube which are widely extracted during the recycling process. Further industry data including materials used and their recyle rate are available on the Can Facts web site: http://www.canfacts.org.uk/pages/pv.asp?p=canfacts5.

How To Recycle Deodorants

To recycle your empty deodorant or aerosol cans simply follow the steps below:

1. Ensure that aerosol deodorant canister is completely empty by holding down the trigger until air stops being dispensed.
2. Ensure that the canister has not been pierced, crushed or flattened.
3. Check that your local authorities recycling initiative collects and recycles deodorants and aerosols on the Recycle Now web site: https://www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/aerosols-0
4. Detach any loose or easily removable parts, such as the lid, and dispose of them with the rest of your recycling if the items are recyclable.
5. Place the deodorant or aerosol canister in to your recycling collection bin.