Don’t Toss the Paint! How to Dispose of Leftover Paint

So, you’ve completed your paint job and have all this pesky leftover paint. You may have heard that you’re not supposed to throw paint away with other garbage. That’s completely true. Aside from saving some for touch-ups, what can you do with it? As a professional painting company, we have a streamlined method to disposing of our leftover paint, but we thought it prudent to share some regulations to help you dispose of your paint at home.

Each city has different regulations regarding the disposal of paint, but they all have the same two rules: don’t throw it away with your regular garbage, and don’t pour it down the drain/storm drain. Most cities have their specific regulations posted online for the public to gain an easy understanding of the regulations for disposing of leftover paint. Below, we’ll break down the regulations for the disposing of leftover paint in our headquarter’s city, Chandler.

In Chandler, there are separate methods for disposing leftovers of each type of paint:

• Latex-based paint: To dispose of latex-based paint, take the lid off the jar and leave the jar to sit outside, in the sun for a while until all the paint in the can has dried up/hardened. Alternatively, you can pour the paint into a cardboard box or similar container for quicker drying. Once dry, place the paint can or container into a plastic bag, seal, and toss with your regular garbage.
• Oil-based paint or solvents: For oil-based paint or solvents, it’s important that the liquid get completely absorbed before disposal. Mix something into the liquid to absorb it, such as cat litter or saw dust. Add litter or sawdust into the paint until all liquid has been absorbed. Then, wrap the container in newspaper, place in a plastic bag, and dispose.
• Spray paint: Disposing of spray paint in Chandler is a bit more involved than disposing of the other two types. For spray paint, spray all paint leftover in the can onto a cardboard box or other disposable material. Make sure you do this outdoors and away from anyone vulnerable to the fumes. Once the can is empty, place the newly-painted material into a plastic bag and dispose along with the can.

As we stated above, each city has different regulations regarding the disposal of leftover paint. It’s important to mind these regulations after you’ve completed your paint job.

Photo courtesy of Pexels by Tookapic.