Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Dubuque.
101 Airborne Rd, Dubuque, IA 52003
Latex: the agency's list says water-cleanup (latex) paint can be dried out and put in the trash. PaintCare's listing says the site takes residential latex for recycling. If you want to bring latex, ask when you book. PaintCare's listing also says every vehicle must stop at the scale; tell the scale operator you have an appointment. The agency is building a new drop-off area called DropZone at the northeast corner of the landfill on Airborne Rd., which will handle household hazardous materials. No opening date is posted. PaintCare's listing gives ext. 2; the agency's own pages and Iowa DNR use ext. 1 for hazardous materials.
1 paint store and 3 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.
101 Airborne Rd, Dubuque, IA 52003
25146 184th St, Maquoketa, IA 52060
224 South Ave, Scales Mound, IL 61075
13859 Edinburg Rd, Scotch Grove, IA 52310
From PaintCare’s drop-off map ↗, updated October 6, 2026. Hours and limits are PaintCare’s. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Book a slot with the agency's online scheduler, pack everything in one or two totes, and drive to 101 Airborne Rd. PaintCare's listing says to stop at the scale and say you have an appointment. It's free for Dubuque County residents.
If it won't fit in two 18-gallon totes, don't use the online scheduler. Call 563-557-8220 ext. 1 to set up a larger appointment.
You can still use the center, but you pay. Email the out-of-state registration form, wait for staff to call, and bring a credit card. Latex is $2.50 a pound on the July 2023 price list. Illinois residents can compare with PaintCare's free Illinois stores.
Check the Reuse Shed by the collection center, Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Paint and stain there are free, as-is, after you sign a release.
Business chemicals are refused at household appointments. The center takes them from very small businesses only, after you complete the non-residential customer packet and book an appointment.
Book an appointment online, then take oil-based paint, stain and thinner to the DMASWA Regional Collection Center at 101 Airborne Rd., Dubuque; it's free for Iowa residents of Dubuque and Delaware counties, up to two 18-gallon totes per online booking. Latex paint can be dried out and put in your trash. Illinois and Wisconsin residents can use the center for a per-pound fee.
In Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque County), oil-based paint, stain and thinner go to the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency's Regional Collection Center at the landfill, 101 Airborne Rd. It is free for Iowa residents of Dubuque and Delaware counties, but you must book an appointment online first. Latex paint can be dried and put in the trash. Iowa has no PaintCare program, so there is no free paint-store drop-off network on the Iowa side.
The center is appointment-only. The agency's online scheduler allows up to two 18-gallon totes or boxes. If you have more, call 563-557-8220 ext. 1 and staff will set up a bigger appointment. PaintCare's listing says every vehicle must stop at the scale; tell the scale operator you have an appointment.
The agency's list says water-cleanup (latex) paint can be dried out and placed in the trash. PaintCare's listing says the center takes residential latex for recycling. Drying is the simple choice. If you want to bring latex, ask when you schedule.
Dubuque's pay-as-you-throw carts have weight limits: 112 pounds for the 35-gallon cart, up to 335 pounds for the 96-gallon cart. A box of dried paint cans is heavy, so spread them over a few weeks if you have a lot. Extra-trash stickers come in sheets of five for $10.
The center takes household hazardous materials from Illinois and Wisconsin residents for a fee, because those states don't repay the agency. Email the out-of-state registration form first; staff call you to book. The price list (revised July 2023) shows latex at $2.50 a pound and oil-based paint at $3.00 a pound, paid by credit card. Illinois residents can also check the PaintCare stores listed on this page.
Next to the collection center, the Reuse Shed gives away paints, stains, automotive chemicals and household cleaners at no cost. It is open Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Everything is as-is, and you sign a release form.
The collection center is the only hazardous waste drop-off for Dubuque County; the City of Dubuque sends residents there and says it is open year-round by appointment. For questions, the agency's education coordinator is at 563-588-7933. Latex can go in the trash once it's dry; Iowa DNR suggests cat litter, sawdust or a paint hardener to speed it up. Before you dry good paint, look at the free Reuse Shed or offer it to neighbors and community groups. The agency is building a new drop-off area, DropZone, at the landfill; no opening date is posted.
Sort cans first: latex ("clean up with water") gets dried at home; oil-based paint, stain, varnish and thinner go to the center. Pack those upright in no more than two 18-gallon totes or boxes for an online appointment, with lids tight and labels showing. Don't bring empty or leaking cans. For latex, mix in cat litter or sawdust until it won't pour, then put it in your trash cart.
Full preparation checklist →Oil-based paint goes to the DMASWA Regional Collection Center at 101 Airborne Rd. by appointment. It's free for Iowa residents of Dubuque and Delaware counties. Dry latex and put it in the trash.
Yes. Iowa residents use the agency's online scheduler. Illinois and Wisconsin residents email a registration form first.
No. The City of Dubuque's large item pickup lists paint, liquids and chemicals as not accepted.
No. The agency's recycling list puts paint and aerosol containers under unacceptable metals, so keep them out of the recycling bin.
Yes, for a fee. Fill out the out-of-state registration form and email it; staff will call to schedule. Pay by credit card when you drop off.
October 17, 2026: re-checked by curl DMASWA's hazardous materials, Iowa residents, Wisconsin and Illinois residents, appointments, non-residential (very small business), Reuse Shed, hours and fees, household recycling and DropZone construction pages; its hazardous materials handout PDF and out-of-state packet (price list revised July 2023, forms revised July 2025); the City of Dubuque's household hazardous waste, large item pick-up and trash pages; Iowa DNR's collection-center list and latex fact sheet; and PaintCare's listing for the center (record 15536, a non-program listing; Iowa has no PaintCare program), checked against PaintCare's live data on October 17. The agency's hours page still says its holiday list is for 2025. PaintCare gives ext. 2; the agency and Iowa DNR give ext. 1. Not resolved: whether latex is taken from Iowa residents (the agency's list and PaintCare differ); appointment times; whether the out-of-state prices are current; the DropZone opening date; which towns beyond the two counties the agency serves. No calls or visits.
Checked October 17, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
