Properly Dispose Of Old Paint

How To Properly Dispose Of Old Paint

How to get rid of old paint

And why it’s important to think before you toss

Believe it or not, when stored correctly oil-based paint can last nearly 15 years and latex paint up to 10. While that’s not quite as long of a shelf life as urban legend gives a Twinkie, it’s still a pretty long time. Even so, if you’ve outgrown your mauve phase or your college bound daughter is leaving behind a hot pink room that you want to transform into a more suitable guestroom-appropriate shade, then it’s time to toss that old paint. But before dumping it in the yard or adding it to your weekly trash, you need to consider the environment, not to mention the laws regarding toxic waste disposal in your area.

So before throwing any paint away — whether it’s as old as a Twinkie or not, consider all your options. And if you’re certain you’re not going to need it for future touch-ups, think about either recycling or donating the leftover paint before throwing it out. Here are some ideas for how you can put your old paint to good use, or get rid of it once and for all.

 

Consider letting someone else use it

Just because you don’t want or need the leftover paint in your home doesn’t mean someone else can’t use it. Consider asking a few friends or taking a picture of the color and putting it out on Facebook — maybe that leftover hot pink your daughter used to love is exactly what someone else is after. Here in Indy you can get in touch with the local Habitat for Humanity Restore, Indyrestore.com, and see if they have a home for your leftover paint.

HFH ReStore ID_H_400

 

Set it out to dry before tossing it

In some areas, so long as you let any leftover paint dry out completely, you might be able to toss it in with your regular curbside trash. Of course the best way to dry out leftover paint is to leave the lid off and keep it somewhere dry — which might mean inside your home. If you do decide to leave paint unattended, make sure it’s kept out of reach from young children and animals. Just bear in mind that laws regarding the disposal of toxic waste vary throughout the state so before you toss, make sure you check your local government’s website to make sure you’re in compliance.

**BONUS TIP: Add cheap Kitty Litter to help the paint dry out FASTER!

Go to a local disposal site

If you don’t want to mess with drying time — or if it’s not allowed in your area — or you can’t find a new home for your old paint, you can always drop off old paint at a toxic dump location. There are four sites throughout the greater Indianapolis area where you can get rid of your old paint. To find the closest location, visit indy.gov/toxdrop or go to earth911.com and search their database for a hazardous waste drop site near you.

But whatever you do decide, again, for the sake of all future painters and all future non-painters, please dispose of your old paint responsibly. Know the laws and respect our environment.

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