how ot dispose a pressurized can

October 8, 2007 7:25 AM

How to dispose a pressurized can?

A closet clean-out revealed a rusty aerosol can of lysol. It still has liquid inside and presumably is under pressure.

Normally, I would deplete the can and stick into the bin for the weekly trip to the town transfer station. But the valve/button is "frozen"; i.e., it doesn't seem to move when depressed & hence there is no obvious way to finish it off.

My concern is that it might injure someone if it "explodes", say when squished by the backloader at the transfer station.

Any ideas?

posted by Kevin S to home & garden (6 comments total)

Just toss it in the bin as usual. Thousands of undepleted cans like this pass through the system daily with no problems or incidents.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:43 AM on October 8, 2007

When this happens commercially, companies either have a special "piercing" machine (if they have a lot of cans) or get it sent to a company who performs that service. So.. if you can find a way that you're confident with piercing it safely, that's probably the only option (other than just throwing it). If I were doing it, I'd get a bucket of earth, put the can right in, then puncture through the earth while leaning back!
posted by wackybrit at 7:45 AM on October 8, 2007

Most modern urban centers have dedicated facilities for disposal of hazardous materials. Consult your local government directory or contact the municipal waste authority; they very likely have a weekly or event set up for residents to drop off the things that shouldn't just go to the landfill. They will most assuredly know how to handle a pressurized aerosol can.
posted by leapfrog at 8:02 AM on October 8, 2007

I don't know how garbage collection is handled where you are but in garbage trucks here, there is absolutely no possibility of injury to the garbage man if a can "explodes" when being compacted inside the truck. The compaction process is internal.
posted by JJ86 at 9:01 AM on October 8, 2007

Shoot it with a .22

:)
posted by TheNewWazoo at 10:33 AM on October 8, 2007

Thanks everyone. I like the .22 and bucket of earth idea, but will likely settle for the practical alternative of sticking it in the garbage.
posted by Kevin S at 6:59 PM on October 8, 2007