Recycle your empty aerosols!

Aerosols

Recycle your empty aerosols!

Information on recycling your aerosol cans.

In the UK, we get through an astonishing 550 million metal aerosols each year. Aerosols are used to package many products such as:

  • hairspray
  • deodorant
  • shaving foam
  • furniture polish
  • oven cleaners

They can be found all over the home in places like the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom.

According to our 2025 recycling survey, 22% of residents didn't know empty aerosol cans could be recycled at home across West Sussex. The good news is that is not the case! Empty aerosol cans can be recycled at home!

Recycling them means we can make new cans from old ones, cutting carbon emissions and reducing the need to mine for more metal.

Just remember, the cans must be empty before you recycle them.

To check that they are empty simply:

  • Spray - If you hear no hiss and nothing comes out; it’s empty. Recycle it!
  • Squirt - If nothing squirts out; it’s empty. Recycle it!
  • Shake - If you hear no sloshing; it’s empty. Recycle it!
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If your aerosol cans still have stuff left in them, they can’t go in your recycling bin. Put them to one side and drop them off at the Recycling Centre when you next visit. Make yourself known to staff at the centre who will ensure safe disposal.

Never squash or pierce aerosol cans - empty or full.

To find out where your nearest Recycling Centre is and to book a slot, visit our Recycling Centres web page.

To find out more about metal aerosol recycling, visit the Alupro website.