How to Recycle Paint in Seattle

In this blog, we’re going to discuss a great way to recycle leftover or unused paint in Washington State. You may have undertaken a DIY painting project and had leftover paint that you no longer need and don’t want to store. Around 10% of all household paint goes unused. Improperly disposed of paint can contaminate the environment when placed in the trash or down the drain. Because people don’t know what to do with old paint, so much of it is thrown away. Even though a lot of leftover paint can be recycled into new paint or repurposed into other products.

Environmentally Friendly Solution

A paint recycling program began in Washington last year that allows households and businesses to recycle leftover paint, stain, and varnish in a sustainable manner. The program is operated by PaintCare, a nonprofit organization created through the American Coatings Association. PaintCare provides over 200 drop-off sites across Washington, which include retail paint stores and locally managed facilities. After the paint stewardship law came into place, this program was created. This law was passed by the state legislature and ensures that all parties who produce, sell, and use paint work together to manage its entire life cycle. During the first nine months of operation, 95% of Washington residents lived within 15 miles of a drop-off site, and 581,363 gallons of paint were collected.

How PaintCare Works

PaintCare partners with local government facilities and paint retailers near residential neighborhoods to make it convenient to recycle leftover paint. Find the nearest PaintCare drop-off sites here. Drop your paint off in the original container with the manufacturer label. Latex and oil-based paint products, including paints, stains, and varnishes are accepted by PaintCare sites. Paint care handles the leftovers.They can remix into recycled paint, used as a fuel, made into other products, or properly disposed.

Funded by a small fee on the sale of new paint, yet many people don’t know about the program! This assists with the cost of collection, transportation, processing, and public education. There is no charge for dropping off paint at a PaintCare drop-off site. PaintCare has collected more than 58 million gallons of paint across the country. The expansion into Washington will divert paint from landfills, increase environmental benefits, and save local governments millions of dollars.

How We Use Paint Care

We heard about PaintCare through paint stores in the Seattle area. About 500 gallons of paint was recycled during our last load. We are glad to dispose of paint in a proper manner to set a good example for habits that help the environment. Our company is glad to share this resource with our clients who may be holding extra paint they don’t need. Check out PaintCare’s website here for more information. If you need any painting services, contact us for a free quote. Thanks for reading!