Drop it off free
21 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- PPG PaintsPaint store0.8 mi
- Grand Paint & Carpet CenterPaint store1 mi
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store1.4 mi
New Haven, CT Paint Disposal
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All drop-off locations in and near New Haven23
Start with these
Sherwin-Williams — Whalley Avenue paint recycling
454 Whalley Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511
- Accepts
- Latex and oil house paint, primers, stains and clear finishes under PaintCare.
- Who can use it
- Households and businesses PaintCare allows. Businesses should check its oil-paint rules.
- Hours
- Store: Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–6 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Call to check it is taking paint.
- Load limits
- The city says these sites take up to 5 gallons a visit, some more; call about space. Labeled, sealed original cans, 5 gallons or less.
- Fees
- Free for PaintCare products.
No spray cans or leaking, unlabeled or empty cans. Open hours don’t mean room for your paint.
HazWaste Central
90 Sargent Drive, New Haven, CT 06511
- Accepts
- RWA’s spring 2026 notice names household oil-based paint. Its 2025 list also had latex and thinner, and the city lists this as a PaintCare site. When you register, ask about latex and anything else you have.
- Who can use it
- New Haven households. No business waste.
- Hours
- Some Saturdays, 9 a.m.–noon, by registration. The last 2026 sessions are October 10 and 17, 2026. 2027 dates were not out as of October 6, 2026.
- Load limits
- No paint total or can-size limit found. Ask first about a large load.
- Fees
- Free for households in member towns.
Register first and stay in your car while staff unload. No business waste. The 2026 notice names only oil paint, so ask about latex. These are season dates, not year-round hours.
Connecticut DEEP 2026 collection schedule ↗Regional Water Authority registration and seasonal service ↗HazWaste Central accepted and excluded materials ↗Member-town explanation of HazWaste Central ↗RWA spring 2026 HazWaste program notice ↗RWA 2025 HazWaste material list (historical acceptance evidence) ↗
21 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of New Haven.
17 paint stores and 4 hazardous waste sites, closest first. Paint stores take house paint, stain and varnish, usually up to a set amount per visit. Hazardous waste sites also take chemicals like thinner, but some only serve local residents. Call before you go.
Rules most stores here share
Who: Households and Businesses in Connecticut
Hours: Paint is accepted during regular business hours. Call ahead for hours and to make sure the store can accept the amount and type of paint you would like to recycle.
Products: This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking or empty.
Each listing below shows only what’s different, plus its limit.
PPG Paints
0.8 mi390 East St, New Haven, CT 06511
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Grand Paint & Carpet Center
1 mi451 Grand Ave, New Haven, CT 06513
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
1.4 mi454 Whalley Ave, New Haven, CT 06511
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Regional Water Authority- Residential restrictions apply
1.5 mi90 Sargant Dr, New Haven, CT 06511
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in Bethany Branford Cheshire East Haven Fairfield Guilford Hamden Madison Meriden Milford New Haven North Branford North Haven Orange Wallingford West Haven Woodbridge
- Hours
- Saturdays: May 30- October 17, 2026
- Limits
- Every residential household can bring a maximum of 60 gallons of liquid waste and 80 pounds of solid waste per collection event.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers. SOME BUSINESSES may use this program by appointment or on special days. Contact the program for details if your paint (or other hazardous waste) is from a business.
Goodys Hardware
3 mi540 Main St, East Haven, CT 06512
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Hamden Transfer Station (Hamden Residents Only)
3.5 mi231 Wintergreen Ave, Hamden, CT 06514
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in Hamden
- Hours
- Monday - Friday 7:30am - 3pm
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking. This site will accept empty containers.
- Notes
- Hamden residents only.
North Haven Paint and Hardware
3.8 mi87 Quinnipiac Ave, North Haven, CT 06473
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
4.1 mi2100 Dixwell Ave, Hamden, CT 06514
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Show 13 more sites
Sherwin-Williams
4.1 mi2 Montowese Ave, North Haven, CT 06473
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Rings End
4.3 mi131 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06447
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Orange Transfer Station (Orange Residents Only)
5.7 mi100 S Orange Center Rd, Orange, CT 06477
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in Orange
- Hours
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday 8am-4:30pm, Tuesday & Thursday 8am-2pm
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking. This site will accept empty containers.
- Notes
- Town of Orange Residents.
Sherwin-Williams
5.7 mi2 Liesl Ln, Branford, CT 06405
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Branford Building Supplies
6.3 mi1145 Main St, Branford, CT 06405
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
6.5 mi575 Boston Post Rd, Orange, CT 06477
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
6.6 mi656 New Haven Ave, Derby, CT 06418
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Woodbridge Transfer Station (Woodbridge Residents Only)
8 mi85 Acorn Hill Rd Ext, Woodbridge, CT 06525
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in Woodbridge
- Hours
- Tuesday - Saturday 8:30am-3pm
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking. This site will accept empty containers.
- Notes
- Woodbridge residents only.
Woodbridge Transfer Station HHW Event- Residential restrictions apply
8.1 mi89 Acorn Hill Rd, Woodbridge, CT 06525
- Who
- Households and VSQG Businesses in Bethany Branford Cheshire East Haven Fairfield Guilford Hamden Madison Meriden Milford New Haven North Branford North Haven Orange Wallingford West Haven Woodbridge
- Hours
- Pre-resgistration required, Saturday, June 27, 2026 9 am - 12 pm
- Limits
- Every residential household can bring a maximum of 60 gallons of liquid waste and 80 pounds of solid waste per collection event.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers. SOME BUSINESSES may use this program by appointment or on special days. Contact the program for details if your paint (or other hazardous waste) is from a business.
- Notes
- Businesses by appointment
Rings End Lumber
8.9 mi25 E Industrial Rd, Branford, CT 06405
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Country Paint And Hardware Inc
9.4 mi2410 Foxon Rd, North Branford, CT 06471
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Dept. Public Works Garage HHW Event- Residential restrictions apply
9.6 mi83 Ford St, Milford, CT 06461
- Who
- Households and VSQG Businesses in Bethany Branford Cheshire East Haven Fairfield Guilford Hamden Madison Meriden Milford New Haven North Branford North Haven Orange Wallingford West Haven Woodbridge
- Hours
- Pre-resgistration required, Saturday, October 10, 2026 9 am - 12 pm
- Limits
- Every residential household can bring a maximum of 60 gallons of liquid waste and 80 pounds of solid waste per collection event.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers. SOME BUSINESSES may use this program by appointment or on special days. Contact the program for details if your paint (or other hazardous waste) is from a business.
- Notes
- Businesses by appointment
Bethany Recycling Center HHW Event- Residential restrictions apply
9.7 mi755 Amity Rd, Bethany, CT 06524
- Who
- Households and VSQG Businesses in Bethany Branford Cheshire East Haven Fairfield Guilford Hamden Madison Meriden Milford New Haven North Branford North Haven Orange Wallingford West Haven Woodbridge
- Hours
- Pre-resgistration required, Saturday, May 16. 2026 9 am - 12 pm
- Limits
- Every residential household can bring a maximum of 60 gallons of liquid waste and 80 pounds of solid waste per collection event.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers. SOME BUSINESSES may use this program by appointment or on special days. Contact the program for details if your paint (or other hazardous waste) is from a business.
From PaintCare’s drop-off map ↗, updated October 6, 2026. Hours and limits are PaintCare’s. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Which option fits your New Haven cleanout?4
Your directions show 260 Middletown Avenue
That’s the transfer station. Its hazardous-waste page sends you to 90 Sargent Drive. A transfer-station permit doesn’t let you leave oil paint there.
You only have latex paint
RWA’s 2025 list had latex, and the city lists RWA with PaintCare, but the spring 2026 notice names only oil paint. Ask about latex when you register, or use the Whalley Avenue store. NHSWRA calls latex non-hazardous, but that doesn’t prove RWA stopped taking it.
An old local page says you need 200 gallons for pickup
NHSWRA’s page still says 200 gallons. PaintCare’s own page now says at least 100. Use PaintCare’s current form and rules. PaintCare still has to approve and schedule it.
You need a Sunday paint-only option
The Whalley Avenue store is open Sunday 10–4; HazWaste Central only runs Saturday mornings. Call first: being open and having room for paint aren’t the same. No spray paint or mineral spirits.
New Haven rules and tips4
THE LOCAL ANSWER
For house paint, the city lists Sherwin-Williams at 454 Whalley Avenue; call 203-782-4930 about space. For paint plus other chemicals, HazWaste Central’s last 2026 sessions are October 10 and 17, 9–noon; 2027 dates were not out as of October 6, 2026. The Middletown Avenue transfer station takes no hazardous waste.
New Haven has two options. HazWaste Central takes paint plus other chemicals at registered Saturday sessions, but its season ends in October. For paint only, a PaintCare store may be easier.
The season ends in mid-October
The state schedule, updated September 30, 2026, lists October 10 and 17 as the last 2026 HazWaste Central dates. After that, nothing until RWA posts 2027 dates, which it had not done as of October 6, 2026. Ignore old flyers. RWA’s weekday office hours are not drop-off hours.
Home paint and job-site paint differ
A homeowner’s and a contractor’s leftovers can look the same, but HazWaste Central takes no business waste. What counts is who made the waste. Clearing a rental or business? Ask before you load the car.
Plan for the whole shelf
HazWaste Central takes paint and thinner. PaintCare stores don’t take thinner or spray cans. List those separately so a paint-only trip doesn’t leave chemicals in your car.
A store open seven days
The city lists the Whalley Avenue Sherwin-Williams, which shows its address, phone and seven-day hours. Call with your can count and products first. Drop-off is free. The city also lists Grand Paint & Carpet Center, 451 Grand Avenue, and Goodys Hardware, 540 Main Street, East Haven; we haven’t checked their hours or space.
Free pickup programs and other options
After the season, use PaintCare’s locator to find a store. With 100 gallons or more (counted by can size), you can ask PaintCare for a free pickup, if it approves. A pickup is not a way to collect your neighbors’ paint.
Getting your paint ready
Keep cans closed, original and apart. Register with RWA, mention damaged or unknown cans, and let staff unload. Bring your confirmation and list.
Full preparation checklist →New Haven questions4
Can I go to 90 Sargent Drive on a weekday?
No. Collection is only on scheduled Saturday mornings. RWA office hours are not drop-off hours.
Can my painter bring business leftovers?
Not to HazWaste Central. PaintCare has a business option, with limits on oil-based paint.
Should I dry my latex first?
No. First check whether a site takes it liquid. Don’t change the paint until the site tells you what it takes.
Can I take unwanted paint to any store that sells paint?
No. The city names certain sites, like 454 Whalley Avenue. Call to check space. Selling paint doesn’t mean a store recycles it.
Sources and how we checked14
October 6 recheck: the state schedule (updated September 30, 2026) lists October 3, 10 and 17 as the last 2026 HazWaste Central dates; RWA’s home page still shows 2026 sign-up. RWA’s HazWaste page wouldn’t load, so limits and latex wording weren’t re-read. The city lists the Whalley Avenue store and lists RWA with PaintCare; RWA’s 2026 notice names oil paint and older lists include latex. Latex is a question, not a known refusal. Load limits and store space are unknown.
Checked October 6, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
Connecticut DEEP 2026 collection schedule ↗Regional Water Authority registration and seasonal service ↗HazWaste Central accepted and excluded materials ↗Member-town explanation of HazWaste Central ↗PaintCare Connecticut ↗PaintCare product eligibility ↗PaintCare business limits ↗PaintCare large-volume pickup ↗NHSWRA hazardous-waste exclusions and destination ↗NHSWRA paint guidance ↗New Haven official paint drop-off locations ↗Whalley Avenue Sherwin-Williams store ↗RWA spring 2026 HazWaste program notice ↗RWA 2025 HazWaste material list (historical acceptance evidence) ↗
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