Repainting your home can refresh its appearance and give it a new look. But what do you do when you have buckets of leftover paint? Toss it into the trash can? Improper paint disposal is unsafe for the environment and illegal everywhere in the United States.
In this article, Fast Act Junk Removal, a leading junk removal company in Niles, Michigan, explains how to dispose of your old paints safely.
What Are the Benefits of Proper Paints Disposal?
Proper paint disposal requires extra effort, which you may find uncomfortable, but it has many benefits for you and your environment. Some of the many benefits of proper paint disposal include the following;
1. It Protects the Environment from Harmful Substances
Paints contain harmful substances like methane, carbon dioxide, mercury, and lead. Some oil-based paints also release VOC (Volatile Organic compounds) into the environment. VOCs are ozone-causing vapors and are a primary ingredient of smog.
If you don’t handle your old paint properly, these substances can contaminate the environment and cause harm to humans. Properly disposing of your paint will prevent these harmful substances from contaminating natural resources and harming living things.
2. It Protects Natural Resources
Recycled paints can be used to produce new ones, which helps to protect natural resources. For example, latex paints can be recycled to make new paints, saving energy and preventing more carbon dioxide from being released into th environment.
Even some unrecyclable paints can still help to conserve natural resources. For example, some types of paints can be used to produce biomass fuel and cement, which helps to save energy and organic materials.
Recycling and reusing your old paints rather than disposing of them can help to conserve natural resources and reduce energy consumption.
3. It Helps to Control Landfill Size
It’s pretty simple; the less paint you throw away, the less refuse they are at the landfill. When you dump your paints in the landfill, they not only take up space but also release toxic elements which contaminate natural resources and are armful to humans.
Recycling or reusing your paint will help reduce the size of refuse at landfills and protect the environment from contamination.
4. Other People Can Use Them
When you choose to donate your paints rather than throw them away, you are saving the planet and also providing for people in need.
You might not know this, but many people need to repaint their homes but cannot afford it. Giving your leftover paint to these people is a good way of giving back to society while protecting the environment.
Even if you don’t have people around you to give your paint to, organizations and charity centers can collect them; you just have to find one in your neighborhood. Most of these organizations will collect your paint for free, meaning you don’t have to worry about spending extra money.
What Are the Effects of Improper Paint Disposal?
Improper disposal of all toxic waste, including paint, is harmful to the environment and the living things within it. Some of the effects of improper paint disposal include the following:
1. Exposure to Disease
Paints are classified as hazardous waste because they contain harmful chemicals that must be handled properly. If you don’t dispose of your paint carefully, you and the people around you might be at risk of serious illness.
Some paint products contain lead, and if you come in contact with them, they can cause skin, lung, and eye problems. Also, if you ingest paint chips, you might be at risk of lead poisoning, which can lead to serious health problems.
2. Climate Change
Improper waste disposal is a leading cause of ozone layer depletion and climate change. Since paint is a hazardous waste, not disposing of it properly can also contribute to climate change.
For example, latex paints release Volatile Organic Components (VOC) into the environment when exposed improperly. VOCs are vapors that contribute to the ozone layer, produce smog in the clouds, and thicken the ozone layer.
Climate change can lead to more dangerous situations like extreme weather, natural disasters, and destroying natural habitats and even people’s homes.
3. Air Pollution
What do you think will happen when you leave your paint waste carelessly open or dump your old paint cans at the landfill? The harmful elements in the paint will escape into the atmosphere and contaminate the air, which is very dangerous as it can cause severe health issues in everyone who breathes the polluted air.
You can contribute to environmental safety and protect everyone around you from breathing contaminated air by properly disposing of your paint waste or recycling them.
4. Water Pollution
If you dump your old paint in the wrong place and it finds its way into a body of water like the ocean or lagoon, it can contaminate the water and harm its elements. Also, if people use the water for purposes like drinking, farming, or cooking, the contaminated water may harm their health.
Similarly, you should not dump your paint down the drain, as it will damage your plumbing system and clog your septic tank. Since paints don’t break down in water, they’ll stay in your septic tank for a long time and might even release toxic elements into your home.
5. Plant Death
Even if you leave your old paint on the ground or dump your old paint cans at the landfill, you are still harming the environment by causing soil pollution, which can lead to the death of plants around you.
When the toxic elements in your paint penetrate the soil and spread to the surrounding areas, all the plants in those areas will be exposed to chemical damage, and they may die. Also, if contaminated water is used to water plants, it can kill them or make them poisonous to the human body.
How to Increase Your Leftover Paint’s Shelf Life
Once opened, paints can last for more than two years. However, you need to keep them properly to keep them in good condition and extend their shelf life. Some simple tips to increase your paint’s shelf life and avoid throwing them away include the following;
1. Store Them in the Right Place
The right place to store your old paint is not defined by location but by condition. If you want your leftover paint to last for a long time until you’ll need them again, experts advise that you store them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
You want to find a properly insulated spot in your home with a consistent ambient temperature to preserve your paint and protect it from deteriorating. If you don’t have space for the paint in your home, you can create an insulated storage container outside your home and place your paint inside.
2. Store Them at the Right Temperature
Paints contain many chemicals that react to temperature changes. To ensure that they last as long as you want, it is essential to be mindful of the temperature of the room you store them in.
If you store your paint under a temperature that is too cold or hot, its elements can break down, rendering it useless. The optimum temperature to keep your paint is relative to each paint type, so you should ask your paint supplier for a better direction.
For example, the ideal temperature to store acrylic and latex paint is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using other types of paint, it is best to ask experts for advice on how to store them.
When choosing a storage place, It is also important to consider the climate you live in and how it can affect your paint.
3. Reseal Your Paint Properly
Before you store your paint, you want to reseal it properly to prevent air and sunlight from penetrating.
To reseal your paint, you can start by cleaning the edge of the paint can and lid. Ensure that they are clean to get the best seal. When your paint container is clean, you can cover the opening of the can with plastic wrap and make sure it is secured. Once that is done, place the lid of the can back on and press it on the plastic wrap until they are firmly secured.
4. Use Airtight Containers
If you choose to transfer your leftover paint from its original container into another jar, you must use airtight jars before storing it. You can use airtight glass jars or mason jars with lids to store and protect your paint.
However, you must ensure to protect the containers from sunlight to prevent damage. When you have more than one paint jar, you can label them for easy identification, so you won’t have to open each jar to confirm its color when you need to reuse them.
What Are Eco-Friendly Ways of Disposing Old Paint?
As stated above, it is unsafe to throw your oil-based paint away; in fact, it is illegal in most states. If you are looking for safe, eco-friendly ways to dispose of your old paints, you can follow the following steps.
How to Dispose of Latex Paints
To dispose of your leftover latex paints, you have to dry out the paint first. Luckily, this process is straightforward and can be done at home. You can add litter into the paint container to make it dry faster.
When the paint is dry, transfer it into a trash bag or cardboard and dispose of the can or recycle it. Dry out the paint properly and dispose of it with your regular trash. However, before you toss your paint into the curbside trash, you have to be sure it is acceptable in your locality.
How to Dispose of Oil-based Paints
Oil paints are considered hazardous waste, as they contain toxic elements and can harm the environment. Hence, unlike latex paints, you can’t throw them away. To dispose of your oil-based paints, you can contact your local household hazardous waste facility or locate one and drop your old paints there.
Alternatively, if your community holds a local hazardous waste drop-off event, you can drop your leftover oil-based paints there.
How to Dispose of Spray Paint Cans
It is safer for the environment if you recycle your used spray paint can. To do this, you must empty the can by spraying it into cardboard in an open space.
When you have completely drained out all the paint, you can take the empty cans to your local recycling center. However, if there is still a lot of paint left in your spray paint can, you can consider storing it for future use or giving it away.
You can also dispose of your plastic paint container this way if you do not wish to reuse them. Simply empty and wash the plastic containers and take them to a recycling center.
Donating Old Paints
If you have leftover paints but want to avoid going through the stress of eco-friendly disposal, you can give them away to people who need them. If you have any friends or neighbors who need paint, you can simply give them your leftover paint. Otherwise, you can donate them to a charity center or organization.
There are many organizations that accept paints for free and will appreciate your donation, such as domestic violence centers, drama clubs, children's charities, and scout troops.
Paint Can Take-Backs
Some states in the US, including California and Connecticut, now have paint-can take-back programs. With these programs, paint manufacturers are mandated to set up counters in the company and in different locations around the city, where their customers can drop off empty cans of used paints to be reused or recycled.
Are There Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Traditional Paint?
While traditional paint products like oil-based and latex paints are more common, there are safer paint options you can use to paint your home for a safer environment. With eco-friendly paint, you can reduce the risk of paint-related diseases while keeping your home safe. Some common alternatives to traditional paint include the following;
1. Low VOC or Zero VOC Paint
VOC preserves paints and prevents them from getting spoiled, but it is unsafe for humans. In fact, the presence of VOC in paints makes them dangerous, which is why low-VOC paints are introduced.
Low VOC paints contain low amounts of VOC, which makes them less harmful and safer for you and your environment. However, you must know that VOC helps paints to stay wet, so low-VOC paints tend to dry faster.
2. Non-VOC Paint
For a paint product to be called zero-VOC, it must contain very low amounts of VOC, usually less than 5g per liter. Although these types of paint are safer for interior and exterior painting, they are not easily accessible. They also dry very fast, which means they might not be suitable for DIY painting to avoid getting a rough finish. However, unlike traditional paints, they are safe for the environment and can be easily disposed of.
3. Natural or Plant-Based Paint
Natural or non-toxic paints are produced by alternative paint companies using mostly natural resources. Although they react differently from traditional paints, natural paints are safer, especially for people with asthma or allergy reactions. Also, they do not have an offensive odor like traditional paints. Natural paints are made from natural materials like water, plant oils, plant dyes, milk protein, natural latex, beeswax, and natural minerals.
4. Water-Based Paint
Also known as biodegradable paints, water-based paints have water as their main foundation. They contain non-toxic elements and break down quickly, which makes them safer than oil-based paints. Water-based paints do not cause allergy reactions nor put users at risk of severe diseases.
5. Ceramic Paint
This is a new-generation alternative to traditional paints. This type of paint uses microscopic ceramic beads as its primary foundation. They are more stain-resistance and durable than regular paints. They also contain a low amount of VOC, as low as 20g per liter, making them safer alternatives to oil-based paint.
Conclusion
Safe disposal of old paints and paint containers may require more work than just tossing them into the bin, but it is safer for the environment and can contribute to protecting your neighborhood from danger. If you need more professional advice on how to dispose of your old paint, you can talk to professional junk haulers at Fast Act Junk Removal.
About Fast Act Junk Removal
Fast Act Junk Removal and Dumpster Services is a leading waste management service serving Michigan and Indiana. They have professional junk haulers available to safely remove and properly dispose of your junk. They offer dumpster rental services at the most reasonable prices in the area.
If you need junk removal services such as furniture removal, bathtub removal, gym equipment removal, estate cleanout, and general home cleanout in Niles, Michigan, Fast Act Junk Removal is the best company to call for the best service.
For more inquiries about their junk removal services, contact Fast Act Junk Removal at 269-808-1170 or visit their website.
