*Buy only what you need and try to use it all.
*Don't buy four gallons when you only need 3-1/2 gallons.
*Buy quarts for small jobs.
*Buy latex paint whenever possible.
If your metal paint cans are empty (or have a trace amount of paint in the bottom of the can), let the paint air dry and take the empty metal cans to a scrap yard where they can be recycled. If you have plastic paint cans that are empty, place them in your garbage for disposal.
If you can not find someone to take your latex paint and there is more than 1/8" of paint in the can, add cat litter to the paint and stir it until the paint is absorbed. Then you can place the can and cat litter/paint mixture out in your garbage can. Latex paint is not a hazardous material and can be placed in with the garbage as a last resort. The cat litter stabilizes the paint so it does not make a mess when it is placed in the garbage.
If you have a can (or cans) of oil-based paint that you do not want and can not donate, you must take it to a Household Hazardous Waste collection event. Very small amounts of oil-based paint can be absorbed with cat litter, but large amounts (anything over a 1/8" in a can) must be taken to a collection event. Solvent-based thinners must also be disposed of properly at an HHW collection event.
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To eliminate excess used paint in the future: *Buy only what you need and try to use it all. *Don't buy four gallons when you only need 3-1/2 gallons. *Buy quarts for small jobs. *Buy latex paint whenever possible. |
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