3 Tips for Easy Paint Disposal in Springfield, MO

Though it may not seem like it, paint is one of the most used items in the country. Americans make use of more than 1.57 billion tons of paint causing paint disposal to be a real problem. Unfortunately, a good part of unused paint ends up in the trash.

From unused partial cans to old color samples that you forgot you had, you’ve probably had to dispose of paint at least once a year. While it may seem like an easy task – toss it in the trash, and you’re done! – there’s a little more that goes into paint disposal.

When you’re disposing of paint, you should never pour it down your drain or toss it into the recycling bin with the rest of the household waste.

Instead, follow these simple steps:

1. Determine Type of Paint

Most paints are either latex-based or oil-based. Each of these combinations has a different paint disposal method that you should follow.

• Solidify Latex Paint

If the paint is latex-based, you will need to solidify it before you can dispose of it.

If there’s only a little paint left in the can, leave the lid off and allow it dry. However, if the can has only been partially used, you can mix in a solidifying agent like sawdust to speed up the process.

Once the latex paint has been solidified, it can be easily disposed of with the rest of your non-recyclables.

• Oil-based Paints

Oil-based paints contain enamel, lacquer, shellac, and varnish. These materials make them combustible substances and must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

This also applies to spray paints and artist paints – like oil-based paints, which are also considered hazardous waste.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to dispose of oil-based paints and other hazardous waste in Springfield, MO, you can contact us at (417) 815-5865.

We are a certified hazardous waste disposal company and are always available to help you with paint disposal.