For years, you’ve been saving every single can of paint that ever went on the walls of your house on a shelf in your basement or garage. Now it’s 30 years later, and you haven’t touched a single can of it. It’s just been sitting there going bad. So what can you do with it?
You cannot throw paint in the trash in New York State
There is a list of things that have been established by the NYS DEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) that are actually illegal to throw in your trash. They’re trying to protect the environment by banning these things from ending up in landfills. The list includes everything from tires and car batteries, to things that are less obvious like newspapers (yes, newspapers are actually illegal to throw out).
What would happen if you threw something in the trash that was on the list?
Chances are, if it’s a small enough quantity of it, nothing will happen. You could get a fine, but you’ll probably get a warning first. The biggest fine is for illegal dumping. That could cost you anywhere between $4000 – $18,000 and include vehicle impound.
Dispose of your paint in a safer way
Because paint is on that list, the county and state where you live will sometimes offer up events where you can drop cans off and dispose of them safely. One of those events is coming up this weekend. You’ll be able to drop off your old paint at the Erie County Fairgrounds this Saturday…