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After you spray, don’t throw away’ is the message from the borough’s eco-warriors after it was announced empty aerosol cans can now be recycled.
Deodorants, hair sprays, air fresheners and furniture polish can all be put out for recycling from now. Veolia Environmental Services, the borough’s waste contractor, confirmed last week there is now a market for recycling aluminium from empty aerosol cans along with food tins and drinks cans.
They can also be accepted by the aluminium banks scattered across the town. However aerosols containing insecticides, oven cleaners, paints and automotive sprays cannot be put in and should be disposed of as rubbish.
Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, Cllr Elaine Still, commented: “We are always looking for ways to recycle more and now we can add aerosols to the list of things that can be recycled, alongside paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans. This will help to make things less confusing for residents and more convenient.”
All local authorities in Hampshire have signed up to the Project Integra partnership to manage waste and recycling in the county. It is estimated each individual uses ten aerosols per year and it is hoped the move can increase the county’s recycling rates.
Chairman of the Project Integra Strategic Board, Cllr Roland Dibbs, said: “I hope that collecting empty aerosols along with paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans, will not only improve our current recycling rate of 39%, but also make disposal of these items more convenient and less confusing for our residents.”
