Table of contents
- Dispose of leftover paint
- Liquid paint dangerous
- Residual paint collection points
- let the paint dry
- Save leftover paint
- Costs
- frequently asked Questions
Under the appropriate conditions, wall paint can be disposed of in various ways. Because in liquid form, paints are so-called problematic substances that can harm the environment. We will tell you where you can dispose of wall paint and what the costs are.
Dispose of leftover paint
When painting, the entire color is rarely used up. Therefore, the question then arises: "Where to put the leftovers?"
There are basically three ways to dispose of wall paint:
- Submission as a problem
- let the paint dry
- keep safe
Liquid paint dangerous
Still liquid wall paint contains various substances that pose a hazard to the environment and water. This includes, among other things:
- binder
- dyes
- plastics
- solvent
- oils
A notice:
In liquid form, paint residues must therefore not be disposed of with household waste, toilets, drains or gullies. Anyone caught doing so faces a fine.
Residual paint collection points
Some hardware stores accept leftover paint in buckets free of charge. If this is not the case in the area, it is worth asking the city cleaning department. So-called pollutant mobiles offer the possibility of acceptance in public places. However, these variants are often associated with longer waiting times. In addition, the quantities should be small, since the mobiles usually go to several stations and have limited capacities.
On the other hand, if you would like to dispose of larger quantities of wall paint, and ideally do so immediately, recycling depots are your ideal place to go.
let the paint dry
If you don't want to make an extra trip, you can let the wall paint dry out so that you can later dispose of it in the household waste. Only a few steps are required for this:
- Remove the bucket lid completely.
- Put paint outside or in a well-ventilated area.
- Wait a few days.
- Remove paint if possible and dispose of paint residues and buckets separately. Otherwise put everything in the household waste.
The clear advantage of this is that neither long distances nor costs are incurred. For larger quantities, however, it can take several weeks to completely dry out. Therefore patience is required.
Tip:
The process runs faster if a warm location with low humidity is chosen.
Save leftover paint
Disposing of opened buckets of paint immediately is wasteful and can quickly become a disadvantage, especially when it comes to self-made paint shades. Scraping along the wall unfavorably once can make it necessary to use it again. For such and similar cosmetic corrections it makes sense to keep the wall paint. The following requirements must be met:
- dark
- cool but frost-free above 5°C
- airtight packed
Tightly wrapped in foil and stored in the garage or basement, wall paint can last up to two years. The same period applies to paint cans that are still originally sealed.
A notice:
Strong temperature fluctuations should be avoided with wall paint. An evenly tempered basement is therefore better than a sunny corner in the uninsulated garage.
Costs
If you want to dispose of smaller quantities of wall paint at the mobile waste collection facility, in the hardware store or at recycling centers, there are usually no costs. Due to regional differences, however, it makes sense to find out about this in advance from the city cleaning department or the relevant market.
With larger quantities of liquid paint - for example, because it is no longer usable due to incorrect or too long storage - you usually have to reckon with disposal costs. These depend on the composition, but are usually small:
- emulsion paint approx. 30 cents for 10 kilograms
- Solvent-based paints 1 to 2 euros per 10 kilograms
Tip:
For private households, up to 20 kilograms of leftover paint can usually be disposed of free of charge. Here, too, it is advisable to contact the responsible authorities in advance in order to avoid surprises.
frequently asked Questions
If paint rollers and brushes are soaked, washed out thoroughly and dried immediately after use, they can be reused without any problems. If you prefer to dispose of them, you should let the leftover paint dry for at least two days and then put the utensils in the residual waste.
Here temperature, humidity and quantity play decisive roles. If there is little color left in midsummer, one day is usually sufficient. If the bucket is still half full, allow at least a week for drying out outdoors.
Disposing of paint that is still liquid or intentionally letting it dry out is a waste of money. It is better to store the paint properly. This makes it available for repairs or for other projects. Alternatively, picture frames, canvases, wooden shelves and the like can be designed with it.
Some hardware stores offer this service for paint that is still liquid or has already dried. If the hardware store is closer than the recycling center, it is worth asking. In terms of costs, the hardware store is often the cheaper option.
Mirko
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