Jackson County Recycling Partnership

Handling Latex Paint

Consumers should buy only the paint they need. Source reduction is the best way to avoid having a paint disposal problem.

Consumers can store paint so it lasts for years. Leftover paint is not a waste product. When properly stored, paint can last for years, until it can be used up. Follow the directions below.

Cover the opening of the can with plastic wrap.
Securely fit the lid on the can so it does not leak.
Store the paint can upside down until it is needed again. The paint will create a seal and stay fresh for years!

Paint is not meant to be thrown away. Consumers should use it up. Properly stored leftover paint can be used on touch-up jobs and small projects. Also, similar colors of latex paint can be blended for use as a primer or on jobs that the final finish in not critical.

Leftover paint can be donated or exchanged. Consumers are encouraged to donate leftover paint to community groups, theater groups, schools, churches or others who need or want it.

If you cannot save, use up, donate your leftover paint, the following instructions can be followed to dispose, of the unwanted LATEX paint properly:

If the paint has dried, replace the lid and seal container. Place the container in a doubled plastic trash bag and seal the bags. Then place the sealed bags with your other trash.
If the paint is in liquid form allow the leftover latex-based paint to solidify or dry away from children or pets in a well ventilated area. One method of drying is to add absorbent material such as shredded newspaper, sand or cat box filler to speed drying. Once the paint is hardened or thickened, seal the container and place in a plastic trash bag and seal. Then include with regular trash.
Remember these directions are appropriate only for the safe disposal of latex based paints not - solvent based paints. Check with your local garbage service provider for date of the annual hazardous waste disposal event. Both latex and solvent based paints are accepted at this event.

How to Distinguish Latex from Solvent-Based Paint

There are simple ways to know how to tell latex paint from solvent-based paint. If possible read the label. For solvent-based materials, often the term alkyd or oil-based appears on the label. Clean-up instructions on the label are also a good way to tell whether a product is solvent based. Typically solvent-based paints require you use mineral spirits or turpentine to clean the brushes or rollers. If brushes can be cleaned with soap and water it is typically latex or water-based paint. If the label is missing or unreadable the product should be assumed to be solvent based. Another simple way to tell is to determine the paint's solubility in water. A small amount in a jar mixed with water will show whether it is latex or solvent based. Latex paint readily mixes with water. Solvent based paint is insoluble in water - the paint and water separate like vinegar and oil.

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