House Painting Experts

Los Angeles Metropolitan (424) 262-3175

Your left over Paint:

Every house painting project should have some left over paint or stain. It is a good idea to have one or two gallons of touch up paints available in case the substrates are damaged or high traffic need “freshening” before the next major paint job. However larger quantities should be re-used on other projects, donated to charity, or recycled. Facts about the amount of left over paint in the US: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculates that annually nearly 70 million gallons of paint are left over in the United States. Imagine 27.6 billion square feet each and every year ( 303 square miles). Check the label. Paint manufactured before 1978 could contain lead, many paints made before 1991 could contain mercury. Both materials should be listed on the paint label. Paints containing lead or mercury should be taken to a household-hazardous-waste collection facility. Recycle it. Some city/municipalities offer recycling programs for old paint and empty paint cans. Water-based, or latex, paint can be recycled into new paint or it can even be used to create nonpaint products such as cement. Oil-based, or alkyd, paint is usually used for fuel blending—meaning it’s burned to create energy at a power plant. To find out whether paint recycling is an option in your area, contact your municipal recycling or household-hazardous-waste center. Dispose of Latex Paint once latex paint is dried it can be safely disposed of in the garbage, or local a waste facility. Paint cans can also be dried out and disposed. Water-based paint is treated as hazardous in only a few states—including California, Washington and Minnesota—and is still generally accepted at hazardous-waste facilities Oil-based paint is always considered hazardous and should be disposed of at a household-hazardous-waste collection facility.

Shearer Painting will take away and recycle or dispose of your unused paint properly.

Do It Yourself Instructions for Recycling Paint:

1. Lay out plastic film in a well ventilated area. We suggest 4 mil polyfilm spread out in A CONTAINMENT enclosure; such as bracked 4 x 4 posts nailed together. This is the same system we use in our video.

2. Pour out left over paint over the plastic. Take care to keep the no thicker than 1/8 of an inch. Spread out the paint with a stir stick or make shift spreader made of cardboard.

3. Allow paint to dry; this should be 12-48 hours depending on temperature and humidity.

4. Thoroughly dried out latex paint and be disposed of with normal garbage.

More information about Paint Disposal in your city:

Alabama
Montgomery: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/swstmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/solidwaste/index.asp
Birmingham: http://www.wm.com/

Alaska
Juneau: www.juneau.org/
Anchorage: www.alaskawaste.net/

Arizona
Phoenix: phoenix.gov/GARBAGE/landfill.html

Arkansas
Little Rock: www.disposal.com

California
Sacramento: www.sacgreenteam.com
Los Angeles: www.ladumpsterrental.com

Colorado
Denver: www.uswaste.com

Conneticut
Hartford: www.allwaste.com/
Bridgeport: www.city-data.com/city/Bridgeport-Connecticut.html

Delaware
Dover: www.dswa.com/
Wilmington: www.manta.com/c/mm2txvc/krc-waste-management-inc

Florida
Tallahassee: www.leoncountyfl.gov/solidwaste/service.asp
Jacksonville: www.coj.net

Georgia
Atlanta: www.atlantaga.gov/

Hawaii
Honolulu: www.ehawaii.gov

Idaho
Boise: www.adaweb.net/

Illinois
Springfield: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC4549/contacts.asp
Chicago: www.wmchicago.com

Indiana
Indianapolis: www.americanenvironmental.net/pages/ais-about.php

Iowa
Des Moines: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC3999/contacts.asp

Kansas
Topeka: www.superpages.com/...Waste+Management/S-KS/T-Topeka/
Wichita: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC4065/index.asp

Kentucky
Frankfort: www.waste.ky.gov/
Louisville: www.louisvilleky.gov/solidwaste/

Louisiana
Baton Rogue: brgov.com/
New Orleans: www.cityofno.com/

Maine
Augusta: www.maine.gov/spo/recycle/
Portland: www.maineyellowpages.com/ME-Portland.../Waste-Management

Maryland
Annapolis: www.richlaw.com/
Baltimore: www.hoovers.com/.../Maryland/Baltimore/Solid_Waste_Collection-1.html

Massachusetts
Boston: www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/recyclingandsanitation/

Michigan
Lansing: www.lansingmi.gov/pubserv/wastereduction/wrap.jsp
Detroit: www.ecocenter.org/recycling/detroit.php

Minnesota
St. Paul: www.wmtwincities.com/
Minneapolis: www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/solid-waste/

Mississippi
Jackson: www.jacksonms.gov/government/publicworks/solidwaste/

Missouri
Jefferson City: local.volunteertv.com/jefferson-city+tn/waste+management.zq.html
Kansas City: www.hellokansascity.com/.../c_NONHAZARDOUSWASTEDISPOSAL_151.cfm

Montana
Helena: www.city-data.com/business/econ-Helena-Montana.html
Billings: ci.billings.mt.us

Nebraska
Lincoln: www.superpages.com/...Waste+Management/S-NE/T-Lincoln/
Omaha: www.wasteline.org/

Nevada
Carson City: www.superpages.com/...Waste+Management/S.../T-Carson+City/
Las Vegas: www.republicservices.com/

New Hampshire
Concord: www.ci.concord.nh.us/GSADMIN/concordv2.asp?siteindx
Manchester: www.manchesternh.gov

New Jersey
Trenton: www.trentonnj.org/cit-e-access/webpage.cfm?TID=55
Newark: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC5295/contacts.asp

New Mexico
Santa Fe: www.sfswma.org/
Albuquerque: www.cabq.gov/solidwaste/

New York
Albany: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC3825/contacts.asp
New York City: www.nyc.gov/sanitation

North Carolina
Raleigh: www.raleigh-nc.org/sws/hazardou.htm
Charlotte: www.charmeck.org/Living/Garbage+and+Recycling/

North Dakota
Bismarck: www.ndhealth.gov/wm/
Fargo: www.cityoffargo.com/Residential/.../Householdhazardouswaste/

Ohio
Columbus: refuse.ci.columbus.oh.us/

Oklahoma
Oklahoma City: www.okc.gov/trash/index.html

Oregon
Salem: www.co.marion.or.us
Portland : www.wmnorthwest.com

Pennsylvania
Harrisburg: www.dauphincounty.org
Philadelphia: www.globalwastellc.com

Rhode Island
Providence: www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/waste/

South Carolina
Columbia: www.columbiasc.net/solidwaste

South Dakota
Pierre: www.city-data.com/business/econ-Pierre-South-Dakota.html
Sioux Falls: www.siouxfalls.org

Tennessee
Nashville: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC4112/contacts.asp
Memphis: www.memphistn.gov/framework.aspx?page=672

Texas
Austin: www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/
Houston: www.houstonsolidwaste.org/

Utah
Salt Lake City: www.ci.slc.ut.us/publicservices/streets/garbage.htm

Vermont
Montpelier: www.cvswmd.org/
Burlington: www.cswd.net/

Virginia
Richmond: www.cvwma.com/
Virginia Beach: www.vbgov.com

Washington
Olympia: olympiawa.gov/Default.aspx
Seattle: www.wmnorthwest.com/seattle/contactus.html

West Virginia
Charleston: www.wm.com/Templates/FAC5625/contacts.asp

Wisconsin
Madison : www.cityofmadison.com/streets/
Milwaukee: www.mpw.net/Pages/ops2.html

Wyoming
Cheyenne: www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us