Aerosol Can Disposal and RCRA’s Effects on Business Practices

Nov 12 2014

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was enacted by Congress in 1976 in order to regulate the management of solid and hazardous waste in the United States. The main objectives of RCRA are to protect the environment and health of the population from the potential hazards of waste disposal. RCRA also helps to conserve energy and natural resources while reducing the amount of waste generated and ensuring environmentally sound disposal. It is important for business owners to understand how the RCRA applies to their business on the federal, state and local level in order to avoid costly fines and possible injury to workers due to improper disposal.

Aerosol can disposal is increasingly becoming an issue in the workplace. While aerosol cans are easy to use and very efficient at delivering the products they house, they create an environmental hazard if not properly disposed of. Newstripe, Inc. carries a variety of aerosol can disposal systems to assist businesses in following the guidelines set by RCRA and enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These systems are a cost-effective method for disposal as they do not require a lot of man hours or training. The scrap that the disposal systems produce can be recycled for revenue to assist in the costs incurred with implementing the system. Finally, proper aerosol can disposal protects workers in the facility from accidents associated with aerosol cans. Facility management can check with state or regional agencies to find out specific RCRA regulations that pertain to their business.