Throw Dried Paint out with Trash

Once paint has dried, it is virtually harmless to the environment. Open all paint cans and check the paint inside. If it is dried, throw the can (with the lid removed) directly into your household trash.

Recycle Good Paint

Open the paint and give it a stir. If the paint stirs into a lumpy consistency or if the liquid and pigment remain separated after stirring, your paint is bad. If it stirs into a smooth, even consistency, your paint is good. Please check with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Sojourners Alliance to see if they could use your paint. Good paint may also be brought to the HHW Facility.

Solidify and Dispose of Bad Latex Paint

If your water-based paint has gone bad, please help keep HHW collection costs down by solidifying and disposing of the paint on your own. To solidify water-based paint, mix clumping kitty litter into the paint until it solidifies into one mass. Once latex paint has been solidified in this manner, it can be treated the same way you would treat dried paint–leave the lid off the can and throw it into your regular trash.

Bring Wet Oil-Based Paint to HHW Facility

Oil-based paints pose a greater environmental hazard than water-based paints, so if you have oil-based paints that are not dried out, bring them to the HHW collection facility DURING HOURS OF OPERATION (see above) to be processed with other hazardous materials.