| Greener alternative to aerosol cans |
| By Green Living Tips |
Published
11/22/2006
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home , health
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Aerosol cans greener alternative
I'm just looking beside my desk here and I can see 4 aerosol cans containing various products. The cans proudly state "it's OK to spray!"; due to the fact that there's no chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) used as propellant. Gee, I feel much better now :)
But hang on, what is the propellant being used now? Hydrocarbon. According to the boffins, the type of hydrocarbons used in today's aerosols have a negligible greenhouse effect. Negligible? How negligible? Does that mean it has some effect?
The other issue with aerosol spray cans is the can itself. Made from steel, they are recyclable, but have you ever tried melting steel in your kitchen? It does take an awful amount of energy to recycle products. Then there's the plastic bits such as spray nozzles and caps.
There is an easier and cheaper alternative to buying most types of products that come in aerosol cans - buy a refillable spray bottle, aka atomizers, or misters. You'll find most of the products you need can be bought in bulk at your local hardware store; or better still you can make earth-friendly insecticides and air fresheners yourself at home! You save money, while helping to protect the environment.
Have a green tip related to aerosols? Please share it with everyone by adding it below :).
Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
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Comments
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Comment #1
(Posted by Reenie Rogers)
Dear Michael,
I am doing research on spray bottles before I order some for a Green Day event at a school. We're going to be making an All Purpose Green Cleaner (with vinegar, water, essential oil, earth-friendly dishsoap). In looking to order the bottles, I've found a glitch. While the bottle may be #2 plastic (HDPE High Density Polyethylene) which should be ok (at least better than one with pvc or another # plastic), the material the trigger is made out of may not be earth-friendly or even something we'd want to put our hands on. For instance, one bottle we are considering buying has a trigger with Nitrile. This is a type of polymer and I really can't determine if it's got unsafe ingredients in it. The company says the nozzle was made in Taiwan, so there are some doubts in my mind given the present revelations with Chinese products having various toxic materials in them.
I write only to share with you. What should be a simple purchase is turning out to be a major hunt for a decent, earth friendly spray bottle.
We need to know what we are putting our hands on, but that's not always easy!~ Reenie, Tallahassee, FL
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Comment #2
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Hi Reenie - wow! that's some really heavy duty green research you're doing for your product. Most people would just be satisfied with ensuring the product was earth friendly and the container recyclable. I applaud your attention to detail :).
I see what you mean about Nitrile - much of what I read I really need a chemistry degree to translate. I did pick up this on an MSDS:
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"Nitriles can produce other nitriles and highly toxic HCN gas as well as carbon monoxide when burned. You may therefore also see nitriles mentioned as a toxic byproduct of combustion.
Although not highly toxic like inorganic cyanides or hydrogen cyanide, nitriles are generally toxic materials and should be used with proper engineering controls and personal protective equipment. As with any hazardous substance, minimize your exposure or potential exposure."
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/nitrile.html
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..on the flip side, Nitrile is also suggested for use as protective clothing such as gloves, but depending on the substance the glove will come into contact with.
Have you tried asking this company about their spray bottles? They are made with 25% recycled plastic, but they don't mention what the other components are made from - might be worthwhile inquiring:
http://www.safespray.com/
By the way, I'd love your recipe for the green cleaner to share with other Green Living Tips readers - if it's not a trade secret :)
Good luck with your intiative - it's a great idea!
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Comment #3
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Update: Maureen sent me a copy of the green cleaner recipe, which can be viewed here:
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/171/1/All-purpose-green-cleaner.html
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Comment #4
(Posted by lyn)
did you know that a spray bottle filled with water and liquid soap is a great insecticide for cockroaches? just spray the underside of a cockroach with the sudsy spray, and the bubbles suffocate them. it takes a little longer than the regular toxic sprays, and those bugs are tricky - they actually play dead - but just keeps sudsing them with the bubbles. if you don't believe me, try it yourself...
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Comment #5
(Posted by Dave Thomson)
The morning after a few drinks on a balmy Gold Coast eve, I noticed dead cockies in a half glass of un drunk red and wondered what killed them.I summised that alcohol may be their poison, so I filled a spray bottle with metho and went hunting. Well the results were the rapid demise af every cocky I found, even spraying crevises and cupboard hinges produced a kill of fast escaping cockies.So if you need a safe alternative to toxic sprays, try metho in a spray pack and happy hunting.
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