How To Dispose Of Paint In The UK

What should you do with left over paint?

Paint cannot be disposed of in your normal bin and it definitely should not be washed down the drain, follow our useful guide for more details on how to dispose of paint responsibly.

1) Touch ups

Label the tin with which room it was used in and then store it in a cool, dry place. You’ll then be able to use it for those all-important touch ups in the future!

2) Donate

Talk to local community groups, schools and causes to see whether they have any need for it for craft projects, murals etc.  You could also check with your local household waste recycling centre whether they have a paint donation scheme. Bear in mind this is probably only appropriate for emulsions.

Brewers have recently donated a selection of paints to The Lewisham School of Muralism, which were used by the artists to create an extraordinary mural on the side of Lewisham Shopping Centre. Find out more here.

3) Get crafty

Paint a bauble, picture frame etc to match your interior.

4) Dispose safely

If you cannot find a way to use up all the paint then you will need to dispose of it responsibly.  Liquid paint cannot be accepted by refuse centres, they will only accept it in a dried form.  You can dry out your left over paint by adding sawdust or paint hardener to it and letting it dry.  

Top tip – check it is fully hardened by piercing the dried paint.

Please note: paints that are solvent based should be treated as hazardous waste, this also includes other decorating materials such as paint thinners and white spirit.  Check with your local recycling centre for local disposal options.