Last Earth Day, one of our manufacturing teammates suggested a safer way of disposing of paint cans. When it comes to the high demands of running a manufacturing floor, our teammates can go through a few cases in a day or two based on the components or products that we are producing at the time.
Justifiably, aerosol cans are prohibited from being thrown directly in the trash in some municipalities. If you think about the landfills where trash is collected, you can imagine the impact these containers can have on nearby surroundings. Aerosol cans that contain paint, cleaning chemicals, or other solvents can be very hazardous to animals, trash collectors, and the environment if not disposed of properly. To add insult to injury, quite literally, these cans are pressurized which means that they are explosive under specific conditions.
Even when we think that cans are completely empty, there is still quite a bit of chemical or hazardous waste left inside. Here at ColonialWebb’s manufacturing floor, we use an Aerosol Can Waste Disposal System which allows us to safely puncture the can and drain the remaining contents out before disposal. This is not only a safer alternative to eliminating waste, it also enables us to condense the can and physical space in our trash dumpsters from the ability to crush the containers.
Yes, there are specialized companies that can come in and dispose of our waste for us, however, doing it this way ensures that the difference is made by us directly, one can at a time.
