PAINT

You will need to first determine what type of paint you have.   

OIL-BASED paints are considered Hazardous Materials which may harm the environment.  These items must be properly disposed of at a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility or event; to find a HHW facility visit the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy at www.michigan.gov/egle   

LATEX and ACRYLIC paints: Place open cans of latex or acrylic paints outside or in a well-ventilated area to allow the paint to harden. This process can take a couple of days to a few weeks, depending on the temperature and humidity.  Once the paint is solid and completely dry - it can be thrown away with your regular trash (leave the lid off of the can).  

If there is a lot of pain left in the can you can add kitty litter or an oil absorbent material to dry the pain out more quickly.   

Alternatively, apply any leftover paint to scrap lumber or cardboard and allow it to safely dry

Recycle Ann Arbor will accept water-based paints ONLY. 734-971-7400

Watch the website for future Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection events.

ERG Environmental 734-437-9650 accepts hazardous materials including oil-based paints, stains, and solvents. 


Show All Answers

1. What do I do with old. . . . .
2. Drop Off Site - What is the DOS?
3. DOS Plastics - What should I KNOW before recycling plastics at the County DOS?
4. DOS Glass - What should I KNOW before recycling glass at the DOS?
5. DOS Fibrous - What should I KNOW before recycling cardboard / paper / fibrous materials at the DOS?
6. DOS Bags - Can I leave my recyclables in a grocery bag when I recycle them at the DOS?
7. DOS Clean - Do my recyclables NEED to be clean?
8. DOS Metals - What should I KNOW before recycling metals at the County DOS?
9. AEROSOL CANS
10. BATTERIES
11. BULK ITEMS - Like worn out mattress, sofa, chair, lawn furniture?
12. BOOKS
13. COLLECTION DAY - When is the next county-wide collection event?
14. COMPUTERS, MONITORS, ETC.
15. CONCRETE, ASPHALT, BRICK
16. CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS - REMODELING
17. FLORESCENT LIGHTS
18. FREON
19. FROZEN FOOD BOXES / PIZZA BOXES
20. PAINT
21. PESTICIDES
22. PLASTIC BAGS
23. PROPANE / GAS TANKS
24. SCRAP METALS
25. STYROFOAM / PACKING MATERIALS
26. TIRES
27. TRASH
28. TV (Televisions)
29. PLASTIC BAGS