Drop it off free
4 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- Ace Hardware of PontiacPaint store0.9 mi
- RP LumberPaint store2.2 mi
- RP LumberPaint store11.4 mi
Pontiac, IL Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Pontiac.
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All drop-off locations in and near Pontiac7
Start with these
Ace Hardware of Pontiac, East Livingston Street (PaintCare drop-off)
203 E Livingston St, Pontiac, IL 61764
- Accepts
- Latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in original containers no bigger than 5 gallons, with the label on. No spray paint, leaking cans, empty cans or unlabeled cans.
- Who can use it
- Households and businesses in Illinois, per PaintCare.
- Hours
- During regular business hours, says PaintCare. We did not confirm the store's hours; call ahead, especially with more than a few cans.
- Load limits
- 5 gallons per visit.
- Fees
- Free.
It doesn't take thinner, solvents or spray cans; those go to a hazardous waste site such as Naperville's or an Illinois EPA collection day.
RP Lumber, South Ewing Road, Pontiac (PaintCare drop-off)
820 S Ewing Rd, Pontiac, IL 61764
- Accepts
- Water-based or oil-based house paint, stain and varnish, labeled and in containers of 5 gallons or less. Aerosols are not accepted.
- Who can use it
- Open to Illinois households and businesses on PaintCare's list.
- Hours
- PaintCare says paint goes in during business hours. Lumberyard hours were not checked; phone before driving over.
- Load limits
- 5 gallons per trip.
- Fees
- No cost.
With two Pontiac stores capped at 5 gallons each, a 10-gallon load can be done in one afternoon by stopping at both. Bigger jobs of 100 gallons or more may qualify for PaintCare's free pickup instead.
Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Facility (weekends, open to all Illinois residents)
156 Fort Hill Dr, Naperville, IL 60540
- Accepts
- Oil-based paint and stain, paint thinner, solvents, aerosol cans that still have product in them, pesticides, pool chemicals and other household chemicals.
- Who can use it
- Naperville says the site is open to all Illinois residents at no charge, so Livingston County households can use it. Business waste is not accepted.
- Hours
- Every Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No appointment needed. Naperville lists 2026 closures on Easter Sunday, Independence Day and the day after Christmas.
- Load limits
- Up to two of the site's rolling carts per household. Latex paint is not accepted; Naperville says it isn't hazardous. Empty spray cans aren't taken either.
- Fees
- Free.
It's one of the year-round sites on Illinois EPA's list, and Naperville says to expect a wait. If you're only getting rid of latex or oil-based paint in labeled cans, the Pontiac PaintCare stores are simpler.
4 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of Pontiac.
5 paint stores and 0 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 Illinois
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.
Ace Hardware of Pontiac
0.9 mi203 E Livingston St, Pontiac, IL 61764
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
RP Lumber
2.2 mi820 S Ewing Rd, Pontiac, IL 61764
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
RP Lumber
11.4 mi1304 W Oak St, Fairbury, IL 61739
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Nussbaum Ace Hardware
11.9 mi203 E Maple St, Fairbury, IL 61739
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Ace Hardware of Dwight
17.5 mi104 Watters Dr, Dwight, IL 60420
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
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 Pontiac cleanout?4
You live out by Fairbury or Dwight
You may not need Pontiac at all. PaintCare lists two Fairbury sites (Nussbaum Ace on E Maple St and RP Lumber on W Oak St) and Ace Hardware of Dwight on Watters Dr. The same 5-gallon limit and label rules apply.
You have 12 gallons from a repaint
At 5 gallons per store visit, drop 5 at Ace on E Livingston St and 5 at RP Lumber on S Ewing Rd, then take the last 2 on another trip. Call both stores first so they're expecting you.
You've got spray paint and a can of mineral spirits
The Pontiac stores won't take either. Sign up for Illinois EPA's Lockport collection (Saturday, October 31, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.) or Decatur (October 24). Or drive to Naperville any weekend, no appointment needed. Empty spray cans aren't accepted at Naperville.
You missed McLean County's August collection
McLean County's 2026 hazardous waste collection was held August 22 in Bloomington. The Ecology Action Center says a fall 2027 event depends on funding. Until then, keep chemicals sealed or use Naperville's year-round site.
Pontiac rules and tips4
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Take latex or oil-based house paint, stain and varnish to Ace Hardware of Pontiac (203 E Livingston St) or RP Lumber (820 S Ewing Rd); both are free PaintCare drop-offs, 5 gallons per visit. Paint cans never go in your Republic recycling cart. For thinner and spray paint, use Naperville's free weekend facility or sign up for Illinois EPA's Decatur (October 24) or Lockport (October 31) collection.
In Pontiac, Illinois (Livingston County, not Pontiac, Michigan), two stores take leftover house paint for free through PaintCare: Ace Hardware of Pontiac on E Livingston St and RP Lumber on S Ewing Rd. Each takes 5 gallons per visit. We found no Livingston County hazardous waste program, so thinner and spray cans have to go to an Illinois EPA collection day or Naperville's weekend site.
Two PaintCare stores in town
Ace Hardware of Pontiac (203 E Livingston St, 815-842-2966) and RP Lumber (820 S Ewing Rd, 815-844-6000) both take latex and oil-based paint, stain and varnish in labeled cans up to 5 gallons. The limit is 5 gallons per visit at each store. Call ahead to check hours and space.
Paint cans stay out of the recycling cart
Pontiac's 2026 trash and recycling calendar, made with Republic Services, lists paint cans, oil cans and aerosol cans as items that never go in the recycling cart. Republic also says wet paint doesn't go in trash or recycling.
Fairbury, Dwight and Streator have their own sites
PaintCare lists Nussbaum Ace Hardware (203 E Maple St) and RP Lumber (1304 W Oak St) in Fairbury, Ace Hardware of Dwight (104 Watters Dr) and RP Lumber in Streator (2515 N Bloomington St). People near those towns can use them instead of driving into Pontiac.
Chemicals: McLean's day is over, three state days are left
McLean County's 2026 collection in Bloomington took place on August 22. Its organizers say a fall 2027 event depends on funding. Illinois EPA's remaining 2026 one-day collections are in Springfield (set for October 17), Decatur (October 24) and Lockport (October 31); all need sign-up first and refuse latex. Naperville's weekend site takes oil-based paint and spray cans year-round.
Free pickup programs and other options
If both Pontiac stores are full, try the Fairbury, Dwight or Streator PaintCare sites. Bloomington's Habitat ReStore (1402 W Washington St) is also a PaintCare site. For 100 gallons or more, ask PaintCare about a free large-volume pickup. For thinner and spray cans, sign up for Decatur (October 24) or Lockport (October 31), or use Naperville's free weekend facility.
Getting your paint ready
Make sure each can has its original label and a tight lid; stores refuse leaking, unlabeled or empty cans. Set cans upright in a box for the drive. Keep spray paint, thinner and solvents in a separate box, since PaintCare stores won't take them. If you're going to Naperville or an Illinois EPA day, keep chemicals away from passengers, as Illinois EPA advises.
Full preparation checklist →Pontiac questions5
Where do I drop off paint in Pontiac, IL?
Ace Hardware of Pontiac at 203 E Livingston St or RP Lumber at 820 S Ewing Rd. Both are free PaintCare sites and take up to 5 gallons per visit.
Does Livingston County have a hazardous waste collection?
We didn't find one. McLean County's 2026 collection in Bloomington took place on August 22. Illinois EPA collections are set for Springfield on October 17, Decatur on October 24 and Lockport on October 31.
Can paint cans go in my Republic recycling cart?
No. Pontiac's 2026 recycling calendar lists paint cans, oil cans and aerosol cans as never allowed in the recycling cart.
Where can I take spray paint and paint thinner?
Naperville's facility at 156 Fort Hill Dr is free for all Illinois residents, every Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Illinois EPA one-day collections take them too, with sign-up.
Does it cost anything to drop off paint?
No. PaintCare sites are free for households and businesses, and so are Naperville's facility and Illinois EPA's collection days.
Sources and how we checked14
October 16, 2026: read PaintCare's locator data for Pontiac (sites 17198 and 17278) and nearby Fairbury, Dwight and Streator; PaintCare's Illinois and large-volume pages; the City of Pontiac waste pickup page and 2026 Republic calendar (PDF, read as text); Republic's household hazardous waste page; Illinois EPA's paint and collections pages, fall 2026 release and the Decatur and Lockport event pages; Illinois Extension's fall schedule; Naperville's facility page; and the Ecology Action Center's McLean County page. No calls or visits. We found no Livingston County solid waste or hazardous waste page, and no city page about paint in the trash. Searches for a Livingston County, Illinois collection returned only Livingston County, Michigan. Naperville's page was read through a fetch tool. Store hours weren't confirmed. We found no Habitat ReStore in Pontiac; PaintCare lists the Habitat ReStore in Bloomington (site 17500).
Checked October 16, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
PaintCare drop-off site locator ↗PaintCare Illinois ↗PaintCare large-volume pickup ↗Illinois EPA: paint ↗City of Pontiac: waste and recycling pickup calendar ↗City of Pontiac and Republic Services: 2026 recycling and trash calendar (PDF) ↗Republic Services: household hazardous waste ↗Ecology Action Center: McLean County household hazardous waste ↗Illinois EPA fall 2026 HHW announcement ↗University of Illinois Extension: fall 2026 hazardous waste collections ↗Illinois EPA Decatur event page ↗Illinois EPA Lockport event page ↗Illinois EPA household hazardous waste collections ↗Naperville Household Hazardous Waste Facility ↗
