CMI and HCPA publish aerosol guide for material recovery facilities

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and the Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA) recently published Yes We Can! A Practical Guide to Aerosol Recycling at MRFs. Developed by RTI Innovation Advisors, the guide helps material recovery facilities (MRFs) navigate the risks and concerns associated with aerosol can acceptance by supporting informed internal evaluations and collaboration across the recycling supply chain.

Although empty aerosol cans are recyclable, acceptance at MRFs in the US is not universal and inconsistent. The MRF guide provides credible, operations-focused information, grounded in real-world case studies of material flows and infrastructure to enable MRF operators to evaluate aerosol acceptance within their local, unique systems. This supports the goal of achieving at least an 85% recycling access rate for all aerosol cans by 2030 as part of CMI and HCPA’s joint Aerosol Recycling Initiative.

RTI conducted interviews with 13 MRFs in 11 states, representing a diverse mix of public and privately owned facilities across geographic regions, including facilities that explicitly accept aerosol cans, do not accept them, and accept aerosols without publicly advertising their acceptance. In parallel, RTI spoke with nine city and state officials to better understand how government perspectives and policy considerations influence aerosol acceptance at MRFs. The MRF guide addresses the valid concerns and challenges associated with aerosol acceptance by identifying key MRF personas, outlining benefits and risks, and providing recommendations and roadmaps to make aerosol recycling a reality across the US. 

“We developed the MRF playbook to provide a practical roadmap for navigating the operational realities of aerosol acceptance and a shared language to support productive conversations among MRFs, local governments and other stakeholders,” said Sami Ki, senior manager, sustainability & product stewardship, HCPA. “By grounding these discussions in real-world experience, we can make steady progress toward broader recycling access nationwide.”

“Expanding aerosol recycling requires practical guidance and tools that will drive innovation and deepen collaboration in the future,” said Roxanne Sharif, director of sustainability at CMI. “We are excited about this playbook because it equips MRF operators with resources, including from their peers, to confidently assess and advance their operations while helping create meaningful, industry-wide impact.”