Senator Alpert to Dedicate Breakthrough Aerosol Can Recycling Technology At City of Coronado Event.

Business Editors/Environment Writers

CORONADO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2000

California State Senator Deirdre (Dede) Alpert (D-Coronado) will dedicate an innovative aerosol can recycling technology on April 7, 2000, in Coronado.

The patented Aerosolv(R) aerosol can recycling technology was recently certified by a landmark program administered by the U.S. and California Environmental Protection Agencies. One of only ten environmental technologies nationwide to be selected for participation in the joint USEPA-Cal/EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) pilot program, the Aerosolv(R) system has been recognized as a simple, yet cutting-edge process for safely puncturing and draining aerosol cans, enabling the contents and the steel to be recycled. The Aerosolv(R) system is the first and only aerosol can recycling technology to be certified and verified by Cal/EPA and USEPA. The City of Coronado's Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Center will receive a free Aerosolv(R) system, donated by Katec Inc. (Virginia Beach, VA), the manufacturer of Aerosolv(R). Coronado Mayor Tom Smisek will officially receive the Aerosolv(R) unit on behalf of the city.

The Aerosolv(R) System processes virtually any size aerosol can in less than 15 seconds. It safely punctures the can and drains the residual liquids into a 55-gallon collection drum. Meanwhile, the residual propellant is filtered enhancing operator safety. One 55-gallon drum will hold the residual liquids from 4,000 spent aerosol cans. More information on Aerosolv(R) can be found at: http://www.aerosolv.com .

"I am very excited to have sponsored the legislation that enabled this safe, cost-effective innovative environmental technology to be reviewed and ultimately approved for use in California by the Cal/EPA," says Senator Dede Alpert. Senator Alpert was the author of AB483 (signed into law in 1994), which required the Cal/EPA to review and certify eligible aerosol can recycling technologies. "The Aerosolv(R) technology will help thousand of California businesses, HHW centers, and other governmental entities, including the U.S. Navy, manage a key wastestream in a cost-effective, yet environmentally beneficial manner," say Senator Alpert.

"The City of Coronado's HHW program is extremely excited about using the Aerosolv(R) system to reduce a significant portion of the potential hazardous waste steam that otherwise would have to be landfilled," says Scott Huth, Director of Public Services and HHW operator for the City of Coronado. "We recognize both the cost savings it will bring from reduced landfill costs and the increased revenue to be gained from being able to recycle the drained steel cans. Plus, the Aerosolv(R) technology is easy-to-use and safe for our workers."

"The chief benefit of the certification is that it streamlines the regulatory requirements our customers have to deal with when they dispose of aerosol cans," says Michael Campbell, President of Katec Incorporated. "ETV certification opens the door for more companies to use the Aerosolv(R) system to collect and recycle paints and solvents for cleaning and degreasing equipment. Then they can sell the empty aerosol cans as recyclable scrap steel, which they can't do if the cans aren't empty."

According to the Steel Recycling Institute, each pound of recycled steel saves 5,450 BTU's of energy in subsequent steel production, as an alternative to traditional raw materials. Campbell says the average large user of the Aerosolv(R) system recycles about 1000 cans per month, which represents about 250 pounds of scrap steel. He says industry statistics show about 3.2 billion aerosol cans are sold in the U.S. each year; 10.5 billion are sold worldwide.

For example, in one year of use the Resource Recovery and Recycling Program at Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia, implemented the Aerosolv(R) system and recovered 17 tons of scrap steel from recycled aerosol cans, which would have been bulked in drums as solid hazardous waste, and sent to a landfill. The 17 tons of recycled steel from the naval base represents a subsequent energy savings of 185 million BTU's, enough energy to light over 5,000 households for a year. In its first year of operation at the naval base, the Aerosolv(R) system produced savings of $333,738.

As Katec took the Aerosolv(R) technology through the ETV program, it was supported in part by grants from the USEPA and personnel and facilities from the U.S. Navy, San Diego. Additional funding came from The Sherwin-Williams Company, Target Stores and Porous Media Corporation, who participated as good community partners supporting the Aerosolv(R) technology certification. Independent technology testing was conducted by the U.S. Navy at North Island Naval Station in San Diego, and was overseen by Cal/EPA's Department of Toxic Substances Control.

The Coronado dedication ceremony involving Senator Alpert and City of Coronado Mayor Tom Smisek will take place at the City of Coronado's Public Services Yard, located at 101 B Avenue in Coronado. Other participants include: Radm. Rick Ruehe, Commander, Navy Region Southwest; Patti Krebs, Executive Director of the San Diego Industrial Environmental Association (IEA); Norma Lewis, Project Manager for USEPA's ETV Program; and Brian Runkel, Executive Director of the California Environmental Business Council, Inc. (CEBC).