We remodeled seven years ago and I'm going to finally get rid of all that paint in the storage building we had left over after the building job. I kept it in case we needed some of it. Of course, we never did. What is the best way to get rid of ten or so half-used cans of paint?
Good question, I would call the local dump to see what they have to say. If they cannot help you then contact a store that sells paint. They should be able to tell you what to do with old paint.
If the paint is still usable, try posting it on Craigslist or through Freecycle. You'll get someone to come pick it up and take it off your hands for free. If it's not usable, you may have to find the nearest hazardous materials facility to take it to. You aren't supposed to put it in the trash.
I agree with carrot, if the paint is still usable donate it to someone. There are always artists, or even people who need to paint something, and they don't have the money to buy paint themselves. Recycling something, is always better than dumping it.
I love the idea of recycling the paint by giving it to someone who will use it. Schools are doing prom decorations this time of year. Drama departments are decorating sets. There are people out there who can use little bits of paints.
If you don't go down the donation route, they sell hardener at Home Depot you add to the paint. Then, you can trash the hardened paint cans like you would anything else. Without hardening the paint, nobody will take them.
I have never had to deal with leftover paint, but I now know what to do to properly dispose of it. I wonder how many people just throw paint away, and what happens to it?
It's 5 years old so I'm sure it is not any good anymore. It's probably separated with the paint thick on the bottom and watery on top. I would call your local hardware store and ask them what you should do with the old paint.
