When you DIY your interior or exterior paint project, your choices are to run out of paint early or end up with leftover paint. Half-full paint cans will crowd your basement or garage for years to come. It's tempting, rather than let half-empty cans of old paint collect dust in storage, to throw them away with your regular weekly garbage. Even high-quality latex paint is still a threat to the environment. Over time, in a landfill, paint cans filled with leftover paint will seep chemicals into the soil and eventually the water table that are harmful to plants, animals, and people. Instead, consider recycling your used paint for these four reasons, or avoid leftover paint entirely by working with a hometown paint company next time you're painting your home or business.
Depending on where you donate used paint, it can fulfill various purposes in its second life. Some gallons of paint can be re-tinted to darker colors, saving the energy it takes to make new paint.
However, even dark colors that can't be retinted or paint that's expired or dried out can still be recycled. Companies can use that old paint to make new waterproof coatings, plastic products, or concrete. Anytime you donate paint, you're preventing the consumption of raw materials.
