Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Boston.
315 Gardner St, West Roxbury, MA 02132
This is a once-in-a-while event, not a year-round site. The November 21 listing calls the spot Millennium Park, 315 Gardner Street; earlier listings call it the West Roxbury DPW. Boston moved the September event because of weather, so check boston.gov/zero-waste-day the week before you go. The city says it can turn away anything that doesn't meet its rules.
1 Hill Ave, Braintree, MA 02184
This is a private company, not a city program. Hours and prices come from town and state pages, not from Clean Harbors, so confirm both by phone at 781-380-7100. Milton lists customer service at 877-333-4244, and MassDEP's list gives 781-380-7177. It's at 1 Hill Ave, off Quincy Avenue.
Your state doesn’t have a PaintCare program, so stores here don’t take paint for free. These are the public drop-off programs PaintCare’s map lists, closest first. Most only serve their own residents and some charge a fee. Call before you go.
1 Franey Rd, Somerville, MA 02145
21 James St, Medford, MA 02155
50 Mooney St, Cambridge, MA 02138
815 Newton St, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
25 Dow St, Saugus, MA 01906
, Hull, MA
115 Rumford Ave, Auburndale, MA 02466
115 Rumford Ave, Auburndale, MA 02466
From PaintCare’s drop-off map ↗, updated October 6, 2026. Hours and limits are PaintCare’s. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
If it's latex or acrylic, you don't need an event. Stir in cat litter or a hardener, let it set until it won't spill, and put the can out on trash day with the lid off.
Bring it to the November 21 Zero Waste Day in West Roxbury. Keep each product in its labeled can, and stay under 20 gallons in total. If you have more than that, call 311 at 617-635-4500 before you go.
That's right: the September 26 event in Roxbury was canceled for a nor'easter. It was moved to November 21 at 315 Gardner Street, not to Frontage Road.
Call Clean Harbors in Braintree at 781-380-7100 and ask about their next Saturday drop-off and the per-pound price. Cambridge's page says the season runs May to October, so it may close soon. Or leave it with a Boston friend who can bring it on November 21.
Boston Building Resources won't take paint. Offer good paint to neighbors or a community group instead. MassDEP says not to give away paint that contains lead or mercury.
Dry latex paint with cat litter or hardener and put it out with your Boston trash, lid off. Save oil-based paint for the next free Zero Waste Day: Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to noon, at 315 Gardner Street in West Roxbury, for Boston residents with proof of address. The limit is 20 gallons, with no container over 5 gallons.
Boston has no year-round paint drop-off and no store take-back, because Massachusetts has no PaintCare program. Latex paint goes in your trash once it's dry. Oil-based paint goes to a Boston Public Works Zero Waste Day. The next one is Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the West Roxbury DPW yard on Gardner Street.
The city says latex and acrylic paint is not hazardous. Mix in cat litter, paint hardener or shredded newspaper until it won't spill, let it set, and put the can out on your trash day with the lid off so the crew can see it's dry. Zero Waste Days won't take it.
The September 26 Zero Waste Day at 400 Frontage Road in Roxbury was canceled because of a nor'easter. Boston moved it to Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to noon, at 315 Gardner Street in West Roxbury. The June 27 and August 15 events there are already over.
Each household can bring 20 gallons in total of paint, motor oil, gasoline and other chemicals. No single container can be over 5 gallons, and labels must be readable. Bring a photo ID, utility bill or lease with your Boston address.
The nonprofit reuse center at 100 Terrace Street takes doors, cabinets and lumber, but its donation page says no paint, used or new, and no liquids or chemicals. To pass on good paint, give it to someone who can use it, as the city's Zero Waste Directory suggests.
Clean Harbors in Braintree takes household hazardous waste on some Saturday mornings for a per-pound fee. Town pages give different schedules, and Cambridge says the season runs May to October, so call 781-380-7100 first.
There's no free store take-back in Massachusetts; PaintCare doesn't run a program here. For good paint, give it to a neighbor or a group that paints; Boston Building Resources won't take it. For oil-based paint you can't hold until a Zero Waste Day, Clean Harbors in Braintree charges by the pound. If you live in another town, use your own town's program; Boston's events are for Boston residents only.
For latex, mix cat litter or hardener in until it won't pour, let it set, and leave the lid off at the curb. For oil-based paint, keep it in the original can with a readable label and a tight lid. Don't bring more than 20 gallons in total or any container over 5 gallons. Put everything in the trunk and bring proof you live in Boston.
Full preparation checklist →Latex or acrylic paint, yes, but only once it's completely dry, with the lid off. Liquid paint, and any oil-based paint, does not go in the trash. Oil-based paint goes to a Zero Waste Day.
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to noon, at 315 Gardner Street in West Roxbury. It replaces the September 26 event that was canceled for a nor'easter. Check boston.gov/zero-waste-day for 2027 dates after that.
A photo ID, utility bill or lease showing you live in Boston. The events don't take waste from people who live outside the city or from businesses.
No. Zero Waste Days take no business, commercial or construction waste. MassDEP's household guide points to commercial hazardous waste companies for paint that can't go to a household collection.
Boston 311 at 617-635-4500, or email zerowaste@boston.gov.
October 7, 2026: read Boston's 2026 Zero Waste Days page (updated 9/23/26), the event pages for June 27, August 15, September 26 (canceled) and November 21, 2026, Boston's Zero Waste Directory paint section, Boston Building Resources' donation page, Cambridge's and Milton's pages on Clean Harbors Braintree, MassDEP's household products page and guide (read through archived copies because mass.gov blocks scripted requests), and PaintCare's list of states. PaintCare's locator data has no Boston site. Peer review the same day re-read every source (mass.gov in a browser) and confirmed the November 21 move; the November listing calls the site Millennium Park, 315 Gardner Street. Unresolved: Clean Harbors' own hours, price and whether it takes latex. Its Braintree page posts none of these; Cambridge says Saturday mornings May–October, Milton says second Saturdays at $3.00 a pound, and MassDEP's dated list says Saturdays March–November and by appointment; 2027 Zero Waste Day dates; whether Zero Waste Pop-Ups ever take paint.
Checked October 7, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
