How to recycle/dispose of paint - oil-based

Curbside collection: No
County facilities accepting paint - oil-based:
 Household Hazardous Waste drop-off events
 Solid Waste Transfer Station - Hazardous Waste

Latex/Water-based paint disposal

The best ways to manage oil-based paint are to "Use it up! Pass it on!"

If reuse is not possible, then oil-based paint should always be disposed of at a Household Hazardous Waste Collection site. The solvents in oil-based paint are flammable, and the resins, solvents, pigments, and additives can be toxic when breathed or touched.

Use it up!

Small amounts of paint can be mixed with other colors or bulked together and used as a primer coat or on jobs where the final finish is not critical.

Avoid creating waste at the start. Buy only what you need. One gallon of paint will cover between 250 and 350 square feet, depending on the porosity of the surface to be covered. A gallon of paint will cover closer to 250 square feet of surfaces that are more porous.

Paint Use Calculator (link courtesy of the King County, WA, Local Hazardous Waste Program)

Pass it on!

Donate unopened cans of paint. Many schools, religious groups, community groups, and theater groups will accept unopened cans of paint, especially white paint. Even a neighbor may need some extra paint. Also, check your paint store's policy on returning unopened cans of paint.

Information on indoor painting:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/dep/aq/paint.asp

"How to recycle/dispose of..." Index

This information last updated 7/23/2008.