I'm cleaning my garage, What do I do with old paint?
Answer:
When it's time to get rid of that old can of paint, it's important to know that you can't simply just toss it into the trash. Paint is considered a household hazardous waste that can do severe damage to the environment if dumped in a landfill and allowed to seep into the ground. Even if you seal the can tightly, that's not a sufficient way of keeping the paint from getting into the soil and, quite possibly, sinking into the groundwater.
There are several smart choices you can make to rid yourself of the excess paint without damaging the environment or breaking city/state laws:
1) Old paint isn't necessarily bad paint. Consider looking around your home for something that needs a fresh coat, like a chair, lamp or table, and going ahead and using up the remaining paint in the can.
2) Consider donating your paint to a local non-profit agency or community group (Habitat for Humanity, church organizations, nursing homes) that may find a use for the paint in one of their projects.
3) If the above options aren't possible, check the amount of paint in the can. If the paint is completely dry-not just a hard skin covering wet paint-the paint can be thrown away. If there is a small amount left, leave the paint can open and allow it to air dry or put kitty litter in the can to dry the paint before throwing it in the trash.
**Do not dry up oil-based paint or paint containing lead. Contact your city/county Solid Waste or Public Works department.
4) Another option is to find something to paint, a piece of discarded wood, a broken chair, and then throw the wood or chair and the empty paint can in the trash.
5) Consider contacting local paint stores to see if they recycle certain paints or offer suggestions on how to dispose of paint in your area properly.
It's important to know that every city and county has its own rules and guidelines for the proper disposal of paints. The above options will, in most cases, be acceptable. Contact your city or county Solid Waste department or Public Works division for more information before discarding paint and paint cans in the trash. Some agencies offer pick-up of paint and recycling (latex paints only) options.
stir in enough wood chips so it soaks it all up and you can just toss it in the trash.
If you are in N.Y. call 311. They will explain to you how!
Their are many recycling centers that now except used paint, oil, and household chemicals. No charge to you...
Put "old paint" out to pasture or send her to the glue factory. I`m sorry I couldn`t resist.
in my municipality there are special collect days for these things in particular.
do not trash them, they are dangerous for the environment.
call your municipality. they are bound to have centers or at least some "dangerous household waste" collection date with the garbage company.
check before throwing them away.
Paint something else I suppose. Paint your windows to lessen the greenhouse effect inside and thereby use less energy...two birds with one stone.
bury it in your back yard.make sure the lid is on tight.
The waste/trash centers of most cities will take them.
Do NOT, as others have said, bury the paint. That is the worst thing you can do, as it will eventually leak into the ground.
THE DEPAREMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS CALL THEM THEY WILL TELL YOU WHERE TO TAKE THEM. DO NOT TRASH THEM ANY WHERE.
If you live near a farm store they might take it!
Check with your local municipality. Where I live in southern Ontario if the can is nearly empty, we can take the lid off, let it dry and place it in our recycle bin. If the can is more full it can be taken to our local landfill for proper disposal. They even have days where you can go and check out what has been brought in by others and take home to use if you find something that will meet your needs. Whatever you do, do not just trash them !
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