Drop it off free
19 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store2.2 mi
- Westlake Ace Hardware ColumbiaPaint store2.2 mi
- Kendall Hardware IncPaint store4.4 mi
Columbia, MD Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Columbia.
NOW AVAILABLE IN COLUMBIA
Paint recycling pickup. Book online.
Book a pickup From $89 for up to 5 gallons · Online booking coming soon
All drop-off locations in and near Columbia21
Start with these
Howard County household hazardous waste — Alpha Ridge Landfill
2350 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD 21104
- Accepts
- Paint, thinner, solvents, strippers, wood preservatives, fuels, pesticides and other household chemicals on the county list. PaintCare lists latex and oil-based paint up to 5-gallon containers.
- Who can use it
- Howard County residents only; show your driver's license. No business, industrial or medical waste.
- Hours
- Saturdays only, April–November, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. The 2026 season ends Saturday, November 28. The county usually adds about three winter Saturdays; check for dates.
- Load limits
- PaintCare lists 200 gallons per visit. The county gives no limit.
- Fees
- No fee listed for residents.
Staff direct you to the hazardous waste area at the Residents' Convenience Center; set items on tables for on-site chemists. No paint on weekdays. No ammunition, asbestos, fireworks or PCBs.
Westlake Ace Hardware Columbia (PaintCare site)
8895 McGaw Road, Columbia, MD 21045
- Accepts
- Latex and oil-based house paint, stain and varnish, in containers up to 5 gallons.
- Who can use it
- Households and businesses, under PaintCare's business rules.
- Hours
- Store hours, PaintCare says. Call to check.
- Load limits
- 5 gallons per visit.
- Fees
- Free for paint PaintCare covers.
A weekday choice when Alpha Ridge isn't taking hazardous waste. No spray cans, solvents, thinners, or unlabeled, leaking or empty cans. Call first to check they have room.
19 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of Columbia.
18 paint stores and 1 hazardous waste site, 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 Maryland
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.
Sherwin-Williams
2.2 mi6490 Dobbin Rd, Columbia, MD 21045
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Westlake Ace Hardware Columbia
2.2 mi8895 McGaw Rd, Columbia, MD 21045
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Kendall Hardware Inc
4.4 mi12260 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD 21029
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
5.1 mi6785 Business Pkwy Ste 105, Elkridge, MD 21075
- Limits
- Limit: 10 gallons per visit.
McCormick Paints
5.4 mi3410 Plumtree Dr Ste 102, Ellicott City, MD 21042
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
5.5 mi9235 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Westlake Ace Hardware Ellicott City
5.5 mi10325 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
5.9 mi6650 Santa Barbara Rd Ste B, Elkridge, MD 21075
- Limits
- Limit: 10 gallons per visit.
Show 11 more sites
Sherwin-Williams
7.3 mi111B Bowie Rd, Laurel, MD 20707
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
McCormick Paints
7.3 mi14925 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Zimmerman's Hardware
7.3 mi3801 Sandy Spring Rd, Burtonsville, MD 20866
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Howard County Household Hazardous Waste Seasonal Collection Program · Alpha Ridge Landfill/Residents' Convenience Area
7.6 mi2350 Marriottsville Rd, Marriottsville, MD 21104
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in Howard County
- Hours
- 8 am - 4 pm. Saturdays only April thru November. Special collection days occasionally occur December thru March. Visit county website for details.
- Limits
- Limit: 200 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 also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers.
Sherwin-Williams
7.8 mi6425 Baltimore National Pike Ste B, Catonsville, MD 21228
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
8 mi14271 Baltimore Ave, Laurel, MD 20707
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Christopher's Hardware
9.5 mi500 Olney Sandy Spring Rd, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
10.1 mi6401 Virginia Manor Rd Ste2, Beltsville, MD 20705
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
PPG Paints
10.5 mi3601 Commerce Dr Ste 105, Baltimore, MD 21227
- Limits
- Limit: 10 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
11.5 mi18320 Village Center Dr, Olney, MD 20832
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
11.6 mi17 Randolph Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20904
- 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 Columbia cleanout?3
A townhouse with 30 gallons of latex and oil
Go to Alpha Ridge on a Saturday before November 28. PaintCare lists 200 gallons per visit there, far more than the Columbia stores take.
Two cans before Sunday guests
A Columbia PaintCare store, like Westlake Ace on McGaw Road, takes up to 5 gallons in labeled cans during business hours. Call first; no spray cans.
January cleanout
The regular season is over. Watch the county page for winter Saturdays, or take house paint (only) to a PaintCare store.
Columbia rules and tips4
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Take paint to Alpha Ridge Landfill, 2350 Marriottsville Road, Saturdays 8 a.m.–4 p.m. through November 28, 2026, with a Howard County license. On weekdays, a Columbia PaintCare store takes up to 5 gallons. Dried latex can go in the trash.
Columbia isn't an incorporated city, so Howard County's programs apply. Paint and painting chemicals go to Alpha Ridge Landfill in Marriottsville on Saturdays, April through November. On weekdays, paint alone can go to a PaintCare store.
Paint goes to the hazardous waste area, not the convenience center
The Residents' Convenience Center is open Monday–Saturday, but paint goes only to the hazardous waste area, Saturdays April–November, 8–4. A Tuesday trip with paint won't work, even with the gate open.
The 2026 season ends November 28
November 28 is the last 2026 Saturday. The county usually adds about three winter Saturdays but hadn't posted them when we checked. December–March, plan on a PaintCare store or a posted winter date.
Big household loads fit Alpha Ridge
PaintCare lists 200 gallons per visit at Alpha Ridge, versus 5 at the Columbia stores. The county gives no number. On-site chemists sort it all, thinner and stripper included.
Good latex gets reused
The county remixes usable latex from Alpha Ridge and gives it to local nonprofits. Dry a nearly empty can with cat litter or sawdust and put it in the trash, lid off.
Free pickup programs and other options
PaintCare also lists Sherwin-Williams, 6490 Dobbin Road, Columbia, and McCormick Paints on Plumtree Drive, Ellicott City, 5 gallons per visit. A property manager or anyone with 100+ gallons may qualify for free PaintCare pickup. Off-season, MDE lists the county hazardous waste contact at 410-313-6444.
Getting your paint ready
Bring a license with a Howard County address. Use original or clearly labeled, leak-proof containers, and don't mix anything. Put leaking cans in a bigger container with absorbent. Group like items for the chemists.
Full preparation checklist →Columbia questions4
Can I drop paint at Alpha Ridge on a weekday?
No. Paint goes only to the hazardous waste area, Saturdays April–November. Weekdays are for trash and recycling.
Can my Columbia painting business use Alpha Ridge?
No, business waste is refused. PaintCare stores take business paint, but only very small businesses can bring oil-based products.
Is there hazardous waste collection in December 2026?
The regular season ends November 28. Winter Saturdays usually happen, but none were posted when we checked.
Can I put dried latex in Howard County trash?
Yes. Let it harden, leave the lid off so the crew can see it, and put it out with the trash.
Sources and how we checked10
We checked Howard County's hazardous waste, convenience center and paint pages, MDE's county table and PaintCare's October 6 map data. Unknown: winter 2026–27 dates, whether the county's own limit matches PaintCare's 200 gallons, and current store room.
Checked October 6, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
Howard County household hazardous waste at Alpha Ridge ↗Howard County Residents' Convenience Center ↗Howard County paint recycling guide (PDF) ↗Maryland Department of the Environment: county household hazardous waste programs ↗PaintCare Maryland program ↗PaintCare Maryland launch announcement (April 1, 2026 start) ↗PaintCare drop-off site locator ↗PaintCare product eligibility ↗PaintCare business limits ↗PaintCare large-volume pickup ↗
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