How to get rid of leftover paint in southeastern Pennsylvania
Updated · KeystoneProGuide editorial team
What is the short answer?
It depends on the kind of paint. Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery all treat latex (water-based) paint and oil-based paint differently. Latex paint that has dried out completely can go in the regular trash where no collection will take it, and Philadelphia says it can go in the trash once solid. Oil-based paint, stains, varnish, thinners and strippers should go to a household hazardous waste collection. The details, county by county, are below.
What does Pennsylvania allow?
The Department of Environmental Protection names paint as an example of household hazardous waste and strongly urges residents to dispose of it properly. Its page then sets out when trash disposal is legal: if your community has no collection program, or you must get rid of the material before the next event, you may put it in regular trash provided that:
- you have read the label and followed any disposal directions;
- water-based liquid has been allowed to evaporate, or non-water-based liquid absorbed into something like vermiculite, cat litter or sawdust, so that no free liquid remains;
- the residue is packaged so it cannot leak on the way to the disposal site; and
- you put it out in small amounts over several collections.
The federal picture is consistent. The Environmental Protection Agency lists pouring products down the drain, on the ground or into storm sewers among the forms of improper disposal, and warns that improper disposal can harm sanitation workers and septic or wastewater systems.
What do the five counties' collections accept?
Each runs its own events, and the rules differ.
| County | Latex paint at events | Registration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | Accepted | Not needed | Open to residents of all five counties |
| Bucks | Not accepted | Not stated | Up to 25 gallons or 220 pounds |
| Chester | Not stated on the pages read | Required | Up to 25 gallons or 220 pounds; not at Lanchester Landfill |
| Delaware | Not accepted | Required, by appointment | Opens 6 weeks before each event |
| Montgomery | Not accepted | Required | No permanent site; open to all five counties |
- Philadelphia. The city's events accept oil, latex and water-based paint, solvents, spray paints, varnish and stain removers, and run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The city also says latex paint is not hazardous and, once dried or solidified with kitty litter or another absorbent, can go in regular trash.
- Bucks. The county's free collections, held in the warmer months, cannot accept latex paint, electronics or appliances.
- Chester. The Solid Waste Authority does not accept hazardous waste at its landfill; residents must register for an event.
- Delaware. The Solid Waste Authority's list of accepted paint products is the most detailed of the five: turpentine, paint thinners, strippers and removers, oil-based paints, stains, varnish, shellac, spray paint, solvent-based paint products and wallpaper cement.
- Montgomery. The county has no dedicated drop-off site and holds outdoor events from spring to fall. It says the five counties host about 30 events a year between them.
Can your painter take it away?
Not to these events. Bucks says its collections are not open to business, industry or institutions; Chester and Montgomery turn away businesses and contractors; and Philadelphia says businesses must use a private service. Agree in the contract who takes the leftovers and how.
In a pre-1978 house there is a further rule. Paint chips and debris from paid work there fall under the federal lead rule, which requires the firm to keep the waste contained at the end of each day and while transporting it. That is the painter's responsibility, not yours.
How should you pack paint for a collection?
Philadelphia's and Montgomery's advice is the same: keep products in their original containers with labels, never mix them, seal the lids, and carry them in a sturdy box; Montgomery asks for cardboard rather than plastic tubs. The EPA adds that even empty containers can be hazardous because of what remains in them.
If you did your own work in an older home, the EPA's lead-safe steps for do-it-yourselfers include controlling your waste along with cleaning the work area, so bag paint chips and dust rather than sweeping them into the yard.
What about an old can of paint stripper?
If it contains methylene chloride, stop using it. The EPA encourages consumers who still have such products to ask their state or local solid waste agency for disposal instructions. Delaware County's event list includes strippers and removers.
How do you end up with less to throw away?
Buy only what the job needs. Both the EPA and the state say so, and the EPA's indoor air guidance adds a reason to act: gases can leak even from closed containers, so stored paint adds to indoor air. The Department of Environmental Protection suggests donating unused materials and notes that Habitat for Humanity ReStores accept building materials.
Paint fumes and ventilation covers storage and indoor air in more detail, and the lead rule for older homes covers lead debris. Painters are on the painters directory page.
Sources
- Household Hazardous Waste, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Drop off household hazardous waste, City of Philadelphia
- 2026 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Dates, City of Philadelphia
- Household Hazardous Waste Collections to Return April 5, Bucks County
- Household Hazardous Waste, Chester County Solid Waste Authority
- Household Hazardous Waste, Delaware County Solid Waste Authority
- Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program, Montgomery County
- Risk Management for Methylene Chloride, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Lead-Safe Renovations for DIYers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency