MMWA's Household Paint Handling Guide
Tips to deal with Unused or Unwanted Paint
Don't think old paint is a problem?
Did you know, each year, citizens in Michigan and across the US flush thousands of gallons of leftover or unwanted paints, solvents and thinners down their sinks and drains, and dump thousands of gallons more into their trash cans?
These actions can overwhelm sewage systems, destroy septic tanks, drip onto roads and damage landfills' protective barriers. This can impact surface and ground waters as well as the soil. You can help reduce these threats to human health and the environment by following a few simple steps:
Types of Paint
Paint comes in latex and oil-based formulas, which each have different handling methods. Painting can also generate other related, hard-to-dispose-of items. This page has tips specific to different types of paints and paint products.
Paint ReUse/Disposal Tips
Use Paint Completely or Give It Away
The best way to deal with unwanted paint is to not generate it in the first place. Work with your paint reatailer to estimate correct amounts for your project. Apply extra coats to use all the paint.
If you have useful quantities of leftover paint, donate it for reuse! Ask friends or relatives if they can use it. Or, contact local churches, animal shelters, housing authorities, theater groups or others who use paint to see if they can use yours.
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Other Reuse Options
Habitat for Humanity often accepts donations of usable neutral-colored latex paint for use on their charitable building projects. The Saginaw Habitat for Humanity chapter also operates ReStore Saginaw, where they collect and resell usable paint and a wide variety of other home remodeling items at a reduced rate.
Call Habitat's ReStore Saginaw at 989-791-4598 to donate or purchase paint.
Household Hazardous Waste Collections
If you're unable to use, donate or return leftover oil-based paint or thinner, store it safely until you can take it to a household hazardous-waste collection. The Mid Michigan Waste Authority (MMWA) conducts a number of free HHW collections each year for Saginaw County Residents. Check the newspaper, or our website at www.ggg3.org, or call MMWA at 989-781-9555 for collection dates.
For event dates and an appointment for the Saginaw County household hazardous waste program, call the Saginaw County Health Department at 989-758-3686.
- Do-It-Yourself Options
Paints containing lead, cadmium or mercury are highly toxic and must be taken to a household hazardous waste collection. Most other paint can be made safe for collection through your general refuse program. Here are some do-it-yourself tips for various products.
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Latex Paints
Solidification is the key to properly manage latex paint. It is simple for homeowners to dry up latex paint for disposal at home.
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Place open cans with small amounts of latex paint in a well-ventilated area, away from children and pets.
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Mix paint with absorbant such as shredded newspaper, kitty litter or commercial products intended to solidfy paint or clean up oil spills.
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Allow paint to dry thoroughly.
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Once dry, leave the lid off the can and place in the regular garbage.
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The recycle emply paint cans, wipe the dried residue out of can and lid and place both in your recycling bin.
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Oil-Based Paints
Handle paints containing petroleum distillates with great care. They are ignitable and have potentially harmful fumes: follow label directions.
You can solidify oil-based paints by allowing their volatile components to evaporat in a well-ventilated area.
Mix remaining liquid with shredded newspaper, kitty litter, or othe absorbant and let harden. Or, apply leftover paint to scrap lumber or cardboard. Keep children and pets away while paint is drying. Then place these scraps in the regular trash.
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Solvents
Never pour paint thinners, turpentine, mineral spirits or other solvents down a drain or sewer or dump the on land or in a waterway. Instead, donate unused products to others, such as a woodworking friend or a civic group.
Used solvents can also be recycled by allowing paint pigments to settle to the bottom of the can, then pouring the clarified liquid into another labeled container. Mix the remaining solvent/ paint sludge with an absorbant to harden, the throw can out in the regular refuse.
MMWA's Paint ReNew
The Mid Michigan Waste Authority expanded the Paint ReNew program (formerly called Latex Lock-Up), offering 10 drop-off locations around the area for Saginaw County residents to drop-off unwanted latex and oil-based paint.
Residents can drop latex and oil-based paint at Paint ReNew locations. Usable paint is reblended/ recycled for resale; unusable paint is reused as an industrial fuel.
Paint ReNew Locations:
Name |
Location |
Hours |
Phone |
Ace Hardware Chesaning |
207 W Broad St, Chesaning |
M-F 8-6:30, Sat 8-5, Sun 10-2 |
989-845-2030 |
Carrlloton Twp Office |
1645 Mapleridge |
M-F 8-3 |
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Carrollton Hardware |
3420 Carrollton Rd, Carrollton |
M-F 8-5:30, Sat 8-3 |
989-753-9661 |
Carter Lumber |
8500 Gratiot, Thomas Twp |
M-F 7:30-6, Sat 7:30-4, Sun 9-3 |
989-781-4500 |
Gewirtz Hardware |
144 W Broad St, Chesaning |
M-F 8-6, Sat 8-5 |
989-845-3765 |
Habitat ReStore Saginaw |
2121 S Michigan Ave, Saginaw |
M-F 8-4, Sat 8-2 |
|
Hemlock Ace Hardware |
216 W Saginaw, Hemlock |
M-F 8-7, Sat 8-6, Sun 10-4 |
989-642-2314 |
Mannion Brothers Hardware |
5645 W State St, Saginaw Twp |
M-F 8-8, Sat 8-6, Sun 10-4 |
989-792-2503 |
Merrill Harware |
123 N Midland St, Merrill |
M-Sat 8-6, Sun 10-3 |
989-643-5566 |
St Charles Village Office |
Spruce Stt, just west of M-52 |
M-F 8-5 |
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