Aerosols slowly making a comeback

Abstract

The aerosol industry has had a lot to contend with over the past decade or so. Countless critics prepared its obituary after the formulation of the ozone-depletion theory by F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina (see page 21), taking potshots at the ubiquitous but humble can, which had a market of nearly 3 billion units yearly. But the industry has confounded many of its critics, proving exaggerated the reports of its demise: Slowly, slowly, it is making a comeback, coping with legislation on environmental and safety grounds. New raw materials are contending for roles as propellants, both in traditional technology and new developments. And even the latest problem with which it has had to contend—the problem of flammability in large-volume storage—seems to be controllable. If industry studies are accurate, moreover, the designs for protecting against large-scale aerosol fires may prove more efficient, cost-effective systems for use in general fire-safety applications. Aerosols had ...