Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal
for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto

What do I do with:

Near:

SEARCH

Paint - Interior & Exterior - Used/Wet

Opened, partially full, or wet containers or cans of interior and/or exterior architectural paints: latex, acrylic, water-based, alkyd, oil-based, enamel (including textured coatings), as well as field and lawn paints.

Household Hazardous Waste

This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.

Use up wet, leftover house paint or offer it up to community members. Drop-off paint for recycling at no cost to a local PaintCare site. Accepted items include house paint as well as primers, stains, sealers, and clear coatings such as shellac and varnish.

Paint Waste: Empty, dried out paint cans and buckets may be accepted for recycling. Stirrers, pans and brushes with dried paint go into the garbage. Chemical soaked rags are accepted by some Household Hazardous Waste Facilities. Empty spray paint belongs in the recycing bin (cap off); use up or safely dispose of cans spray paint. Water used to clean paint brushes with acrylic paint (water-based) can be poured down the drain. Paint thinner used to clean paint brushes used with oil-based paint is considered hazardous waste for residents and businesses to bring into a hazardous waste facility.

Vendors

Vendor Address City Destination Disposal Method Notes
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Hayward Facility) 2091 West Winton Avenue Hayward Recycle Drop-off for a Fee Latex paint only
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Livermore Facility) 5584 La Ribera Street Livermore Recycle Drop-off for a Fee Latex paint only
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Reuse Drop-off for a Fee Latex paint only. The paint sale program at the Oakland HHW facility happens Tuesdays from 900AM and closes at 12:00PM (noon) - $25 per 5 gallon pail available in white and beige.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Drop-in Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Recycle Drop-off for a Fee Latex paint only. The paint sale program at the Oakland HHW facility happens Tuesdays from 900AM and closes at 12:00PM (noon) - $25 per 5 gallon pail available in white and beige.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) 41149 Boyce Rd. Fremont Recycle Drop-off for a Fee
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Hayward Facility) 2091 West Winton Avenue Hayward Recycle Drop-off for a Fee
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Livermore Facility) 5584 La Ribera Street Livermore Recycle Drop-off for a Fee
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Reuse Drop-off for a Fee Also, The paint sale program at the Oakland HHW facility happens Tuesdays from 900AM and closes at 12:00PM (noon) - $25 per 5 gallon pail available in white and beige.
Alameda County Business Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Recycle Drop-off for a Fee Also, The paint sale program at the Oakland HHW facility happens Tuesdays from 900AM and closes at 12:00PM (noon) - $25 per 5 gallon pail available in white and beige.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) 41149 Boyce Rd.
(At the Fremont Transfer Station - follow the trucks)
Fremont Recycle Free Drop-off  
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Hayward Facility) 2091 West Winton Avenue Hayward Recycle Free Drop-off  
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Livermore Facility) 5584 La Ribera Street Livermore Recycle Free Drop-off  
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Recycle Free Drop-off  
Biologic Environmental Services & Waste Solutions 23490 Connecticut St Hayward Recycle Pick-up for a Fee Commercial quantity
Brownies Hardware 1563 Polk St. San Francisco Recycle Free Drop-off
California Paint Co (1833 Egbert Ave) 1833 Egbert Ave San Francisco Recycle Free Drop-off There is a 5 gallon limit per visit. You can put EMPTY, DRY latex paint cans in the blue bin.
Center Hardware 3003 3rd St San Francisco Recycle Free Drop-off There is a 5 gallon limit per trip.
Central Contra Costa HHW Collection Facility 4797 Imhoff Pl. Martinez Recycle Free Drop-off
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program 2501 Embarcadero Way Palo Alto Recycle Free Drop-off Only 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous waste per visit. Must be a Palo Alto resident, proof of residency is required.
Clean Harbors 1021 Berryessa Road San Jose Recycle Pick-up for a Fee Oil and latex based. Large quantity

Curbside Service

Questions? Comments?   We're here to help!      Get in touch!

Additional Tools

  • Item Search
  • Vendor Search
  • Information for Vendors

Grab the mobile apps for answers on the go:

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
Brought to you by A public agency reducing waste in Alameda County since 1976.