B&NES residents encouraged to recycle empty aerosols

Deodorant, shaving foam and hair spray aerosol cans are some of the items that residents across Bath & North East Somerset are being encouraged to recycle as part of a new campaign.

The council is working with the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative (UKARI), a nationwide programme led by Alupro, in partnership with SUEZ, to launch a new initiative aimed at increasing the number of aerosols recycled through household collection.

The trial is designed to understand how aerosols are currently being disposed of at homes across B&NES and whether clear guidance can improve recycling habits. As part of the trial, waste and recycling collected from B&NES households is being analysed at the Keynsham Recycling Hub materials recycling facility (MRF) to understand how many aerosols are currently collected through kerbside services. A month-long campaign will give residents clear, practical advice on how to recycle aerosols and dispose of partly used containers and data will be collected again after the trail has finished to see whether improved guidance has improved collections.

Councillor Mark Elliott, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “We are really pleased to be one of four local authorities taking part in these trials. We have already achieved an outstanding 60% recycling rate in 2024/25 and partnering with Alupro and SUEZ on this initiative to give residents clear advice on how to recycle aerosols should help to increase the number of empty aerosols placed in household recycling green boxes.”

Tom Giddings, Executive Director of Alupro, said: “We’re delighted that Bath & North East Somerset Council has joined our initiative to understand collection volumes and examine the role of communications in driving positive change. Once complete, the project will help to inform national thinking when it comes to increasing aerosol recycling rates.”

Tom Merry, Commercialisation & Innovations Manager at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK added: “In a post-Deposit Return System world, new targets set to be announced under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation will require 50% of aluminium packaging (excluding beverage cans) to be collected for recycling. It’s therefore imperative that we maximise the recycling rates of aerosols, through establishing a baseline recycling rate and improving public understanding. We’re pleased to be working with Alupro and Bath & North East Somerset Council to drive forward this initiative and aim to share best practice with the sector through our research findings.”

You can find more information on what you can recycle in your green box on the council website.