Recycling has been on people’s minds for a while now. What to recycle? Does it really even matter? Where do I take paint to recycle? All these questions give consumers real trepidation about recycling. But it doesn’t have to be that difficult. There are many options for recycling in the Houston area. Some products, deemed hazardous to the environment, have special places they must be taken to in order to be recycled or disposed of. Paint just happens to fall into that category, and while it might be tricky, we’re going to try to help you figure out how to recycle it!
While paint can make things infinitely more beautiful, it can leave a nasty carbon footprint behind, polluting landfills for years. Nevermind VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) levels, paint can really damage the earth when not disposed of properly, seeping its waste into the ground and onto our future earth. Hopefully we can shed some light on the problem, though, and inspire you to figure out the best ways to recycle unused paint and keep your remodeling footprint down.
First off, let’s start with the type of paint you should buy for home improvement projects. If you are thinking globally, or just want to do your part, you can buy low or no-VOC paints, which are readily available from many of the big names in paint. This article can hopefully help steer you in the direction of paint brands that might be the best for your projects.
Secondly, let’s talk about alternatives to actually throwing the paint away. One good option might be to ask around your community, inquiring if anyone you know needs some paint to finish a DIY project, a piece of furniture, or an accent wall. This is a cost-effective and community-spirited way to recycle paint! This could include a church, community service organization, high school, theatrical department, or many other locations. Another community driven idea is to try an online classifed site, like Craigslist. People are always looking for a cost-effective way to renovate, and that could be an easy way to get rid of several colors at once. Another option is to find a Hazardous Waste Collection facility, or a hardware store that will collect unwanted paint. A lot of paint recycling programs will mix paints together in order to redistribute the paint to organizations that will use it for projects (i.e. homeless shelters, home building organizations, etc.).
If you cannot find a place to recycle your paint, the best way to dispose of it is to blend it with an absorbent, like kitty litter or sand/dirt, and allow it to dry out (if it is water based paint), then dispose of it, or let it dry out completely before placing it in the trash. This would also work if the paint is moldy or contains rust, as it cannot be recycled then.
Here at Imago Dei, we try to do all that we can in order to keep our carbon footprint as tiny as possible, which is why we recycle our paint . You can read all about our environmental efforts on our website.
Houston has some resourceful organizations throughout the city that will help with paint recycling. Recycled latex paint in theCity of Houston is donated to the graffiti abatement program. Click the City of Houston link or here for information about locations in the city and information about recycling.
Helpful Links:
No related posts.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
