Paint recycling
in California.
Paint drop-off in every big California city and many small towns.
Check your local rules.
Most counties run hazardous waste sites for residents, often by appointment, and many paint stores take house paint for free. Check whether you need to live in the county and how much you can bring.
Free paint recycling.
California has a free paint recycling program called PaintCare. Many paint and hardware stores take leftover house paint, stain and varnish at no charge.
How it works in California ↗20 cities
Berkeley ↗
Leftover house paint doesn't go to Berkeley's transfer station. Use the Ashby Avenue store or the county site in Oakland.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaChico ↗
Butte County households can drop off paint two days a week near Chico Airport. Bring proof of address, and note the short Friday hours.
Checked October 6, 2026CaliforniaEureka ↗
Hawthorne Street is still Eureka's hazardous waste drop-off, even though HWMA's general recycling center closed.
Checked October 6, 2026CaliforniaFresno ↗
The county's Environmental Compliance Center (ECC) handles paint and other hard-to-toss chemicals, and its reuse center gives usable products to county residents.
Checked October 6, 2026CaliforniaLos Angeles ↗
Los Angeles has several weekend S.A.F.E. centers plus county events. Pick the nearest one before you cross town.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaMonterey ↗
Monterey's main public option is ReGen Monterey north of Marina. Its address says Salinas, but Monterey residents can use it and Salinas Valley households can't.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaOakland ↗
Oakland's county site takes mixed household loads, and a Piedmont Avenue store takes small paint-only loads. The county site runs other services on other days, so the day matters.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaPalm Springs ↗
Palm Springs has a Saturday county hazardous waste site and a Palm Canyon paint store that also opens Sunday. Watch the seasonal hours.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaRedding ↗
In Redding, what else is in your car matters more than how full your paint cans are.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaRiverside ↗
Riverside households can use the county's Agua Mansa site in nearby Jurupa Valley or a paint store on Indiana Avenue. Business and real estate waste can't use the household line.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaSacramento ↗
Sacramento has two full hazardous waste sites, Fruitridge Road in the city and North Highlands to the north. The county's Kiefer site in Sloughhouse takes paint but few other chemicals.
Checked October 6, 2026CaliforniaSan Diego ↗
Only people living inside San Diego city limits can use the city's hazardous waste site. A San Diego mailing address isn't enough.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaSan Francisco ↗
San Francisco residents can use a neighborhood paint shop, the Tunnel Avenue site or home pickup, depending on how much they have.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaSan Jose ↗
San José has two options: a booked county appointment for mixed chemicals, or a paint store for house paint. The address alone won't get you in.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo ↗
San Luis Obispo's two options cover different days: Cold Canyon closes Wednesday, and the Higuera Street paint store closes weekends.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaSanta Barbara ↗
Santa Barbara has a weekday paint drop-off, a PaintCare paint store and a weekend hazardous waste center at UCSB. What you have and where it came from decide which to use.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaSanta Cruz ↗
Santa Cruz households can use Dimeo Lane on Saturday, the Ocean Street paint store, or Buena Vista on weekdays. Ben Lomond is closed for construction.
Checked October 6, 2026CaliforniaSanta Rosa ↗
A few labeled cans can go to a Santa Rosa paint store. Mixed household chemicals go to the county site on Mecham Road.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaTruckee ↗
Truckee has paint stores for a few cans and appointment-only hazardous waste events at Cabin Creek Road for bigger cleanouts.
Checked October 4, 2026CaliforniaVentura ↗
Ventura has two programs at 5275 Colt Street: a latex-only drop-off and a monthly reserved event for other household chemicals.
Checked October 6, 2026Spray cans, thinner and other chemicals?
Paint stores won’t take these. Take them to your local household hazardous waste site. Your city guide lists it.
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