Paint Illegal in Garbage & Drains Hazardous Waste If paint is completely dried up, you can put it in the trash. Hazardous Waste Collection Liquid paint needs special handling to avoid toxic exposure for waste workers, the community, and the environment. City Specific Disposal OptionsPlease check with your city page (residential or commercial) to confirm if additional options are available, such as home collection, drop-off locations, and/or events. (These options vary per city.) Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-OffYour city or county may offer HHW drop-off sites and collection events.– Los Angeles County: S.A.F.E. Collection Centers and events– Riverside County– San Bernardino County– Ventura County Disposal Options For BusinessesHazardous waste cannot be placed in your containers. Schedule a Special Waste Collection by emailing [email protected] or calling Athens’ Customer Service Department at 888-336-6100. Fees may apply. Some HHW drop-off centers may allow drop off by small business generators (check links above). Never Dump Down the Drain Dispose of oil- or water-based paint as Household Hazardous Waste. Never dump paint down the drain because it can contaminate lakes and rivers. Recycle for Free With PaintCare Recycle your unwanted house paint, primer, stain, or varnish for free at a PaintCare drop-off location. Both latex and oil-based products are accepted. All locations accept up to five gallons per visit (some take more). Paint containers should be five gallons in size or smaller and have original labels. No leaking, unlabeled, or empty containers. Spray paint is not accepted. For a list of products accepted for recycling or to find a drop-off location, visit PaintCare’s website. Throw Away Empty Cans Let empty paint cans dry out before disposing of them. Then, throw them in the trash without the lid, in order to show that the can is empty. Did You Know? We All Buy Too Much Paint Leftover paint is the single largest waste stream that local HHW programs find themselves managing. According to the EPA, approximately 10 percent of all paint sold each year will not be used.