Some Consumers are Really Getting It!

Although there is still widespread confusion about aerosol spray products’ impact on the environment, some consumers have the facts straight and are sharing their knowledge. In a recent article on www.everydayhealth.com there is a section that points out that aerosol hairsprays haven’t contained CFCs since 1978 and they also have very low VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Anne Fritz in Every Day Health writes:

Many people still believe that the use of aerosol hair spray puts holes in the ozone layer. In reality, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which do destroy the ozone layer, were banned from hair sprays and other aerosols by the United States in 1978. In addition, since 1999, most major hair spray brands have been reformulated so that they contain a smaller percentage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which increase smog, to meet tighter standards introduced by the California Air and Resource Board. Although these tougher standards are currently enforced only in California, most national brands offer the same product across the country — so even if you live in Nebraska, your hair spray is probably less harmful today than it was ten years ago.

In a blog posting on a site called www.tinychoices.com a mother talks about how the benefits of sunscreen outweigh the ‘costs.’ She finds that sunscreen in an aerosol spray container is much more convenient and effective to prevent sunburns on her kids than the more traditional lotion, and she researches to learn that consumer aerosol products don’t have CFCs (and haven’t for several decades) and are also recyclable! Karina of Tiny Choices writes:

These days, though, if something is related closely to food or body care the propellants are more inert – usually propane or butane (though flammable) or CO2 or nitrous oxide. Interestingly, the aerosol products industry group reports that in recent studies 7 out of 10 American’s think that CFCs are still present in aerosol cans! Even though this has been outlawed for several decades in the US.

So if the problem isn’t the ozone then it stands to reason that the aerosol can may be the more appropriate choice over a plastic bottle, right? But how to take care of end-of-life issues?

Earth911 points out that I should be able to recycle at the local level, as long as the can is actually empty… My research turned up another resource, though, which is interesting and hugely useful for people with limited municipal recycling options: 1800recycling.com has a very useful search feature on their website that looks up where you can recycle hard to recycle materials.

It looks like we’re off to a good start in 2011 with 2 great examples of consumers and the media getting the facts about aerosol products and sharing those facts with their readers.

Aerosols vs. Aerosol Products

Often consumers and media alike confuse “aerosol products” with the broader term “aerosols.” According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary the word “Aerosol” has 2 definitions:

1. : a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in gas ; also plural : the fine particles of an aerosol
2. : a substance (as an insecticide or medicine) dispensed from a pressurized container as an aerosol; also : the container for this

Most people think that aerosol products (the second definition) is the only definition for aerosols, and they read scientific reports on climate change and incorrectly attribute the affects of stratospheric aerosols (first definition: fine particles in the air that come from carbon emissions and other natural causes) to aerosol products. This leads to confusion and unwarranted negative association of the aerosol product form to global warming.

A recent blog posting by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) gives many examples of how technical scientific terminology is often misinterpreted by the layman. The article states “there are dozens of words common to climate change research that have the same problem, she said: “error, values, risk, uncertainty – even “aerosol,” which means a small atmospheric particle to scientists, but means “spray can” to many other people.”

Clearly there is a great deal of confusion around aerosol products, and it is important for consumers to know that aerosol products:

1. Do not contain ozone depleting substances (and haven't contained CFCs over 30 years)
2. Do not contribute to global warming

For more information and facts about aerosol products, please visit: http://www.aerosolproducts.org/

CAPCO Responds to Misinformation in Disney Cartoon

A popular Disney kid's cartoon, Phineas and Ferb has an episode "Ain't no Kiddie Ride" with a lot of misinformation about consumer aerosol sprays and the ozone layer. CAPCO sent the following letter to the Corporate Communications Department at Disney.

To Whom it May Concern:

This e-mail is regarding misinformation on the Phineas and Ferb cartoon episode “Ain't no Kiddie Ride.” In this episode, Dr. Doofensmirtz is gathering up all the aerosol cans in order to spray his name into the sky and burn a hole in the ozone layer. We are writing because of the very negative tone towards aerosol products and blatant misinformation presented in the cartoon. The cartoon tends to have somewhat of a science learning and inventive undertone, so it is even more concerning that children are being presented with misinformation about aerosol products and their impact on the environment.

The cartoon states that the aerosol products contain “ozone depleting propellants” that will be used for the “aerosol propelled Ozone Depletenator” and the “ozone depleting gases therefore destroying the protective ozone layer.” The fact is, consumer aerosol products have not contained the ozone depleting propellants Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) for over 30 years.

In the mid-1970s scientists discovered that CFCs may have been damaging the Earth's upper ozone layer. At that time, many aerosol products did use CFCs as propellants. However, product manufacturers voluntarily began removing CFCs from aerosols prior to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banning them from use in aerosol products in 1978. You will find this information on the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/ozone/defns.html

Because of the extremely negative tone towards aerosol products which is based on faulty information, we ask that you stop playing this episode of Phineas and Ferb. Also, please consider consulting the EPA, or the www.aerosolproducts.org website for consultation for future Phineas and Ferb or other Disney sponsored programs that mention consumer aerosol products.

Consumer Aerosol Products Receive Unwarranted Blame for Global Warming

A recent Yale University study shows that many Americans falsely believe that aerosol spray products contribute to climate change. The study has received a great deal of media response because it shows that more than half of Americans flunk “Climate 101.” One of the questions on the quiz given to over 2000 participants showed that over two thirds of those surveyed falsely believe that aerosol spray products are a significant contributor to global warming, with some concluding that banning spray cans or "stopping rockets from punching holes in the ozone layer" are effective solutions for climate change. The largest contributor to global warming is increased CO2 from carbon emissions.

One of the major causes for large scale confusion about global warming and climate change are articles and blog entries that are not well-researched, draw incorrect conclusions about data that is unrelated to their claim, and often times result in being very misleading. A recent blog entry on a Discovery Communications blog claims that aerosol spray products are making significant contributions to global warming, but references an article that does not support that claim. The author confused consumer aerosol spray products with “aerosols (sulfates and black carbon)” which are particles in the air that come from burning coal, diesel and biodiesel, not from aerosol spray products. That same author urges users not to use the www.aerosolproducts.org site as a resource because it is “sponsored by industry.” With so much misinformation out there about aerosol products and the environment, there is a need for information from the industry experts. It is in the best interest of the aerosol industry to give consumers accurate information about the technology behind the product form, share proper usage and disposal/recycling information, and correct misinformation about aerosols and environment, when necessary.

In a time when many consumers are striving to “green” many aspects of their lives, it is easy to see how difficult it is to decipher which information sources are factual and credible. As demonstrated from the blog entry above, consumer aerosol products receive an undeserving amount of blame in relation to actual impact that they have on the environment these days. Therefore, CAPCO will continue in its efforts reach more consumers with facts from industry experts.

SATA Conference Presents Opportunities for Aerosol Industry Professionals

The Southern Aerosols Technical Association (SATA) held its 30^th annual conference in Hilton Head, SC from September 30^th through October 3^rd, 2010. The conference offered many opportunities for aerosol industry professionals to stay abreast of industry innovations, regulatory changes, and consumer trends. SATA provides a great forum to network and share ideas, and speakers offered up best practices, case studies, new product formats and innovations, as well as updates on legislation and other regulatory issues.

Each year a company or an individual receives the Distinguished Service Award for their considerable contributions to SATA and the aerosol industry. This year’s recipient was Radiator Specialty Company.

SATA is a long-time supporter of CAPCO, and it was impressive to see how many industry stakeholders were well-engaged and supportive of CAPCO’s mission to provide facts and educational content about aerosol products to teachers, consumers and media. CAPCO expresses its appreciation to the support it receives annually from SATA and also the opportunity to present to attendees all of the work we are doing on behalf of the aerosol industry.