Can I recycle aerosol cans?
A: No, aerosol cans are not recyclable in the blue cart.
Because aerosol cans are pressurized, they're highly flammable if sent to through the recycling sorting system, aka: Material Recovery Facility or MRF.
Lakeshore Recycling Systems, the City's MRF operator, lists aerosol cans as the #1 cause of fires at their recycling facilities. For the safety of recycling crews and others near the recycling facility, aerosol cans are not accepted in the blue cart.
So how do you dispose of aerosol cans? Depends on if they're empty or not.
Empty?
Empty aerosol cans can be dropped off for recycling with scrap dealers, or anywhere sorted recycling is accepted. Or empty aerosol cans can be placed into a black garbage cart.
Not empty?
Aerosol cans that are not empty are considered hazardous waste and need to be taken to the Household Chemical and Computer Recycling Facility (HCCRF) on Goose Island for safe disposal.
The HCCRF takes old computer equipment and other toxic chemicals too. The drop-off process is super easy. Attendents will unload your items for you. Please place them in the trunk, you don't even need to leave your car so long as you can unlock your Learn more about how the HCCRF operates and everything that is accepted.
Household Chemical and Computer Recycling Facility
LOCATION:
1150 N. Branch Street [map]
HOURS:
Tuesdays (7:00 am to 12:00 pm)
Thursdays (2:00 pm to 7:00 pm)
First Saturday of every month (8:00 am to 3:00 pm)
MORE INFO:
City of Chicago HCCRF
