Disposal of Latex Paint
Step 1: Find an outside work area away from children, pets and rain. Locked screen porches and balconies work well. Because some old latex paint contains mercury, it’s important to dry out paint in a safe place. Sunny summer days are the best time to dispose of latex paint.
Step 2:Dry it out. Remove the lid and let the paint dry in the can. Stir the paint occasionally to speed drying. Or mix paint with cat litter, oil dry or sawdust in the paint can or in a cardboard box lined with plastic and let it dry. Or brush paint in layers on newspaper or cardboard. For larger amounts of latex paint, pour one inch layers of paint into a cardboard box lined with plastic. Allow the paint to dry one layer at a time – thin layers will speed up the drying process. You can also add shredded newspaper with cat litter, oil dry, or sawdust.
Step 3:Throw the dried paint, cans and other materials in the trash. Leave the lids off paint cans so trash collectors will see that the paint is dry.
Please do not bring latex paint to a Clean Sweep for disposal. Latex paint is not a hazardous chemical and breaks down in the environment. It costs $1.50 for each pound disposed of at Clean Sweep. The money spent on latex paint can be used for the disposal of more harmful chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, oil products, etc. Go to our website to see a detailed list of chemicals to bring to a Clean Sweep.