Disposal of Paint: How to Do It Correctly

Disposal of Paint — Your leftover paint can not be disposed that easily. Although painting is the cheapest material from home improvement, we should take care the remaining of it. Certain types of paint, paint thinners, and strippers are produced using hazardous chemical compositions that may be harmful for humans, animals, and water. Environmental Protection Agency, with some additions from governments and professionals environmentalists, tell us that disposal of paint is extremely necessary to be handled with care since it easily damages the environment.

Disposal of paint should not be done by throwing it into the garbage or by pouring it to the drain. Paint should be disposed on the ground.  But before you begin using paint, try to limit paint waste by: (1) purchasing only the necessary amount of paint you think you are about to use; (2) considering donating paint to the neighbor who really in need of it; and (3) join the government project on disposal of paint correctly so that you can do your own disposal of paint; or (4) search for info from your paint retailers to find more about good disposal of paint.

Disposal of paint that is water-based or latex can be done by drying the paint or mix it with cat litter. Remove the opener or lid of the can to show your sanitation workers that the paint is dried. Be careful to handle paint that is manufactured before 1992 since it may contain mercury. Disposal of paint that is oil-based can be done only by taking it to the hazardous waste collection event. Lacquer, varnish, shellac, enamel, and any other oil-based paint are considered having hazardous material so it should not be thrown in the garbage or on the ground. This rule also works for disposal of paint that is aerosol or paint for artist and hobbyists. Propellants, solvents, and heavy metals that are the main ingredients for producing aerosol paint or artist or hobby paint are hazardous for the environment.

The key of disposal of paint is that you should keep it away from heat or flames since it is very flammable. Be sure that it is out of reach of children and pets. Go search more info from Environmental Protection Agency about disposal of paint.