At PaintGreen, we strive to provide a positive painting experience for all our San Diego clients. We paint in a professional manner, are courteous of our client's needs, and are committed to painting in an Environment of Integrity. The paint and materials we use are of premium quality, each painter pays close attention to detail, and all our clients agree that we are a hard-working and motivated group of painters.
How to Dispose of Old Paint
Don't throw it away!
Old paint can be donated, reused, recycled, or as a last resort... properly disposed at a licensed facility.
It is illegal to dispose of paint in the trash or down storm or sewer drains, because paint can contaminate drinking water and ocean water. Special collection programs have been established to accept paint for recycling or proper disposal.
Here in San Diego County, there are several locations that accept old paint. You can find the closest location to you at http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/chd/hhwfacilities.html
Reuse Options
If you have leftover, unwanted paint in good condition, consider contacting a local charity, high school drama department, or church to see if they will accept paint for reuse. Examples of nonprofit organizations that may be interested in leftover paint include local Habitat for Humanity chapters and Keep America Beautiful affiliates.
Recycling Options
Local paint reuse and recycling programs collect paint from residents and commercial businesses. The paint is then taken to a company that will then recycle it into recycled-content paint. This type of paint is created through two processes - reprocessing and reblending.
Reprocessed paint is mixed with virgin materials, tested and then packaged for distribution or sale.
Reblended paint is remixed, screened and packaged for distribution or sale. Typically reblended paint comes in only a handful of basic neutral colors. It has a much higher percentage of recycled content paint then reprocessed paint, which may influence its overall quality. Reblended paint can be used for interior/exterior painting, graffiti abatement, and local improvement projects.
When disposing of paint:
- Read the label and follow for the manufacturer’s instructions for proper disposal.
- Check with your local recycling or household hazardous waster coordinator regarding acceptable practices in your community for the disposal of dried latex paint.
- Empty containers may be thrown in the trash. A container is considered “empty” if no paint can be removed with a brush or by holding it upside down.
- Julie, Mission Hills
The best way to paint in an environmentally friendly way is to paint it right the first time. Quality paint applied properly with thorough prep will last several times longer than paint applied poorly. Even though they are not currently certifying painters we are committed to following the principles outlined by the San Diego County Green Business Program. We use paints that have been Green Seal Certified containing little or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs).