Austin Paint Recycling: Where Leftover Paint Goes

Austin paint recycling and reuse

Austin paint recycling means leftover house paint does not go in the trash, the blue cart, or down a drain. The Recycle and Reuse Center takes paint and thinners as household hazardous waste. Residents of Austin and Travis County can drop them off at no extra charge, with an appointment. The center also sets out reusable paint for visitors to take when they have a surplus.

Curbside customers can book a home collection instead of driving. Paint is on the city’s hazardous-waste pickup list, along with thinners. The city describes up to three of those pickups a year. Schedule it in the Austin Recycles app, online, or at 3-1-1.

Keep the can sealed. If the lid is gone, cover it so it cannot spill in the car. Latex and oil-based paints both belong in this stream, not in different carts. An empty, dry metal can with no liquid left can be a recycling question. A can that still sloshes is austin paint recycling, not the blue cart.

Austin paint recycling mistakes

Do not pour paint into a storm drain or onto the ground. Do not dry a full can in the sun and call it trash if the center will take it. Do not mix paint with pesticides in one bucket. Labels matter.

The packing rules are the same as Austin hazardous waste drop off: original containers when you still have them, five gallons or less, and no trash bag of loose cans. Book the slot through the Austin recycle and reuse center.

Business paint is not accepted as household waste. Call 512-974-4335 for a commercial path. The resident list is on the Recycle and Reuse Center page.