Latex paint disposal, how to?

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Hi All, I have several pretty full gallons of latex paint to dispose of. Any ideas on how to best do this. I've read you can pour it out on a plastic lined box and let it dry but this seems very slow to me. Any other ideas much appreciated. Thanks Alan in Md.

[Charlie Plesums]

Gee that sounds like log end sealer to me. Not quite as good as AnchorSeal, but the next best thing, and it sounds like the ideal price.

If you really want to dump it, I pour my old dead paint over sawdust (no problem getting that) or for small remnants, put sawdust in the can and leave it open. Dries relatively fast, and keeps the trash men at peace.

[Michael Gabbay]

Alan - I take mine to the local County dump/landfill. They have a hazardous materials collection site that is free of charge.


Mike

[Andrew Ault]

Where I live, the City of San Diego collects old paint and uses it for graffiti removal and other purposes. Perhaps the local government in your area has a similar program - or maybe there is a graffiti removal project that could use the paint.

-Andy

[David Wilson]

Alan
Check with your local county. Most have a recycleing program where you can drop off household chemicals including paint.

[Chris Fite]

Habitat for Humanity may have a use for it.

[Michael Perata]

Locally (San Jose) all we are required to do is let the paint dry out and then toss. Open the can and leave it outside your shop until it is completely dried. Check with your local waste hauler.

The same does not hold for oil based products.

[Jason Roehl]

Kitty litter will speed the drying process...

But, if you just leave a can out to dry, at most the top inch or so will dry, then seal off the rest, which will then never dry.

[Dave Brandt]

Don't know about MD, but in northern VA we take them to the closest transfer station (the dump) and put them in the recycle area for paint (they have everything broken down by different classes of recyclables). Just dropped off 15 cans this weekend.

[Chris Padilla]

My local hardware store's paint department has a "substance" in an envelope that you dump into paint which will harden it and crack it all up into little chunks which you just toss.

I have a feeling the "substance" may be some form of kitty litter that Jason referes to. :)

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks for the replies; the sawdust method is what I'll do since I have a lot of that around. I appreciate the help.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks guys;l'm going to use sawdust to take care of what I have. I appreciate the help.