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

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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
Habitat for Humanity ReStore Santa Cruz 719 Swift Street Santa Cruz Recycle Free Drop-off Interior or exterior latex paint only. Paint must be in its original container and containers must be full with legible labels.
Pleasanton Transfer Station 3110 Busch Rd. Pleasanton Recycle Free Drop-off See PaintCare CA accepted/not accepted items and call to confirm space and current open hours.
Glidden Professional Paint Center (PaintCare.org) 3356 Piedmont Ave. Oakland Recycle Free Drop-off
Kelly Moore (PaintCare.org) 28722 Mission Blvd. Hayward Recycle Free Drop-off
Sherwin Williams (320 4th St) 320 4th St 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.
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.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore Monterey Bay 4230 Gigling Rd Seaside Recycle Free Drop-off Interior or exterior latex paint only. Paint must be in its original container and containers must be full with legible labels.
Kelly Moore -Albany (PaintCare.org) 969 San Pablo Ave. Albany Recycle Free Drop-off
Kelly Moore - Oakland/International (PaintCare.org) 3981 First St. Livermore Recycle Free Drop-off
PPG Paints (548 7th Street) 548 7th Street 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.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland Recycle Free Drop-off  
Central Contra Costa HHW Collection Facility 4797 Imhoff Pl. Martinez Recycle Free Drop-off

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