eco-friendly disposal of paint: how to dispose of paint

The disposal of paint should always be done safely, taking care to protect the environment. Paint is classed as hazardous waste under environmental legislation – a scary term to meaning that it’s dangerous for people, animals, and planet too.

With 55 million litres of leftover paint generated each year, it’s more important than ever to know the right way to dispose of paint. So, how can you get started?

how do you dispose of paint?

First of all, liquid waste, like paint, can’t go to landfill with general waste. So, no paint in the bin. Also, don’t pour liquid paint down the sink – do you remember the hazardous waste thing?

To protect the penguins and the environment, it’s essential to manage the disposal of paint properly. Generally, this means hardening the paint before disposal. But your waste can be someone else’s treasure – before throwing paint away, consider paint recycling first!

how to recycle old paint

Recycling paint is good for everyone:

1. Who gets your paint wins: they can reuse your old paint and save some money (especially if it’s designer paint)
2. You win: you get rid of unwanted paint with zero effort
3. The environment wins: less waste, more happy polar bears!

It’s always a good thing to check how much paint you need for a job before buying, so that you aren’t left with litres and litres of excess paint. If you do have some left (life happens!), consider recycling by:

• Donating to charity schemes like Community Repaint
• Giving it to friends, family or neighbours to reuse – you can also give it to strangers on Facebook Marketplace and it’ll be gone in 2 minutes
• Donating it through local community groups or schemes like Freecycle
• Using it yourself on small DIY jobs, touch-ups and upcycling old furniture.
• Advertising it on places like Facebook Marketplace
• Recycling it at your local recycling point.
• In certain places, you can complete a hazardous waste collection form and have it collected – this handy site can help you check.

With so many great recycling options, the disposal of paint should be a last resort. If you still think that disposal is the way, then you need to be careful and follow some steps to do it in the safest way possible,

how to dispose of emulsion paint

Hazardous waste alarm: if you want to dispose of emulsion paint you first need to contact your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC) to check they accept it first (not all do).

If your local council accepts emulsion paint, then you can drop it off there. If not, you’ll need to dry the leftover paint before you can throw it away. To dry paint, you should add absorbent materials like:

• Sawdust
• Cat litter
• Soil
• Paint hardeners

These will soak up the moisture in the paint to create a solid mass. For a small amount of leftover paint, you can even use a bit of card or paper.

You can pour paints into a larger tin if you have more than one type, storing the mixture in a dry place in a child and pet free zone. After a few days, it should have dried – if not, add more absorbent materials. When it’s dry, you can drop it off at your local waste centre.

how do you dispose of old paint tins?

Well done, you have now disposed of paint correctly, but it’s not over yet. You’ll also need to dispose of paint tins in a proper way if you want to earn the eco-friendly badge.

First thing: make sure that your paint has adequately dried – even a small amount of paint leftover can still be hazardous.

Recycling is our splat advice. Old paint tins are a great option for recycling. They make for fantastic DIY projects, decorations, and even mixing pots for future paint jobs. As with excess paint, you should first see if you can recycle before discarding paint tins. Get creative!

If you do really need to dispose of your tin, don’t just throw it in the waste bin. Instead, make sure to dispose of them correctly and sustainably.

how to dispose of paint tins

Metal paint tins are usually recyclable. You should ensure that any leftover paint has dried, dispose of it, then recycle the clean paint tin at your household waste recycling centre.

how to dispose of plastic paint cans

You can recycle plastic paint cans once you’ve disposed of paint properly. Take the clean and empty leftover paint can to your local recycling centre – there, it will be recycled to be used again.

how to dispose of other painting products

No matter the paint job, you might have several other decorating supplies leftover afterwards. Some of these can be harmful, so make sure to dispose of them correctly.

• Hazardous substances that you can’t find on splat like paint thinner, solvent, and white spirit will all have appropriate disposal methods. Check the container and with your local authority – and the next time go water-based or try sustainable alternatives!
• Tools like paint brushes will last ages with proper care. If you do need to dispose of one, check its instructions.

As with paint, recycle before disposal is what we always recommend.

sustainability first

The disposal of paint should be a last resort when recycling is not possible. You’ll need to dispose of paint safely and sustainably, protecting both humans, animals and the environment. Find more paint hacks, decorating inspiration, and sustainable ideas on our blog.