Drop it off
1 paint drop-off site within 12 miles.
- Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority · Alpena Resource Recovery FacilityHazardous waste site1 mi
Alpena, MI Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Alpena.
NOW AVAILABLE IN ALPENA
Paint recycling pickup. Book online.
Book a pickup $89 minimum · No next-day surcharge
All drop-off locations in and near Alpena2
Start with these
Alpena Recycling Facility (Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority)
4395 W M-32, Alpena, MI 49707
- Accepts
- Latex or oil-based paint, aerosol cans, old gas, auto chemicals, oil, other household chemicals and pesticides, plus electronics, batteries, bulbs, tires, appliances and mattresses.
- Who can use it
- Serves Alpena County. Out-of-county households need a $60-a-year membership; businesses need a $100-a-year membership (in or out of county). PaintCare's listing says households and businesses in Alpena County.
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
- Load limits
- No gallon cap is posted. Paint is charged with a 1-gallon minimum. PaintCare's listing says no empty, dry or leaking paint cans.
- Fees
- Paint (latex or oil-based): $6.50 a gallon, 1-gallon minimum. Aerosol cans $3 each, auto chemicals $6 a gallon, other chemicals $8 a pound, pesticides free. No cash since January 1, 2026: card or check only. Prices can change without notice.
Michigan has no PaintCare program, so this is not a free PaintCare site. The township recycling bins around the county are for regular recyclables only; bring paint here.
1 paint drop-off site within 12 miles of Alpena.
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.
Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority · Alpena Resource Recovery Facility
1 mi4395 M-32 W, Alpena, MI 49707
- Who
- Households and Businesses in Alpena County
- Hours
- Monday thru Friday 8 am - 4 pm. Saturday 8 am - 3 pm.
- Limits
- Fees apply; please see per item rates in the website. Prices are subject to change without notice.
- Products
- This site does not accept empty, dry or leaking paint containers.
- Notes
- Both business memberships and out-of-county memberships may be purchased with a credit/debit card over the phone. To purchase by check, please visit the Recycling Facility during regular business hours.Please visit the website for complete pricing.
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 Alpena cleanout?4
You have three gallons left from a kitchen repaint
Take them to 4395 W M-32 during open hours. The price sheet lists $6.50 a gallon (1-gallon minimum), paid by card or check. Latex and oil-based paint cost the same.
You're clearing a camp or cottage in another county
Call 989-354-2607 and buy the $60 out-of-county membership by card first. Then bring the paint to the Alpena facility and pay the per-gallon fee.
Your paint is still good
Michigan EGLE suggests donating usable paint and stain to a park, church, arts group, housing nonprofit or neighbor. That saves the per-gallon fee.
You run a small contracting business in Alpena
Buy the $100 yearly business membership, then bring paint to the facility and pay the same per-item prices. PaintCare's listing also notes businesses in Alpena County.
Alpena rules and tips5
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Take leftover paint to the Alpena Recycling Facility, 4395 W M-32, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Latex and oil-based paint cost $6.50 a gallon (1-gallon minimum), and you must pay by card or check. If you live outside Alpena County, you'll need a $60 yearly membership.
In Alpena, Michigan, leftover paint goes to the Alpena Recycling Facility on M-32 West, run by the Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority. It takes latex and oil-based paint six days a week, but it isn't free: paint costs $6.50 a gallon. It serves all of Alpena County.
Bring a card or checkbook, not cash
Since January 1, 2026, the facility no longer takes cash. Pay by credit card, debit card or check. Paint is $6.50 a gallon with a 1-gallon minimum, so even a quart is charged as a gallon. The price sheet doesn't list a separate rate for Alpena County residents; call 989-354-2607 if you want to check.
One site serves the whole county
The authority's board includes the City of Alpena, Alpena County, the Charter Township of Alpena and Green, Long Rapids, Maple Ridge, Ossineke, Sanborn, Wellington and Wilson townships. The draft regional plan says the facility takes paint and many hazardous waste items six days a week, so special collection events aren't needed.
Township recycling bins aren't for paint
The authority has full-time recycling drop-offs at township offices in Lachine and Ossineke, the Maple Ridge Township office on Lacomb Road, Wilson Elementary in Herron, the Charter Township office on US 23 North and the Moose Lodge on Werth Road. They take paper, cardboard and clean, empty containers, plus glass at two sites. The recycling guide says no liquids, so bring paint to the M-32 facility.
Coming from Iosco, Montmorency or Alcona County
The draft regional plan says the Alpena facility takes materials from out-of-county residents for a fee. Its price sheet lists a $60-a-year out-of-county membership, which you can buy by card over the phone. The same plan says Iosco County holds one hazardous waste event a year at the Iosco County Airport. It says Montmorency has no regularly scheduled special recycling events, and Alcona and Montmorency may explore a regional approach to hazardous waste.
Check before going in the coming months
The authority advertised for construction bids for a new recycling center; bids were due, and scheduled to be opened, on October 9, 2026. The current site and hours still apply. Watch alpenarecycling.org or call 989-354-2607 for any move or schedule change.
Free pickup programs and other options
Michigan has no PaintCare program, so Alpena paint stores don't take leftover paint back for free. Michigan EGLE suggests giving usable paint and stain to someone who will use it, such as a park, church, arts group, housing nonprofit or neighbor. Businesses can use the Alpena facility with a $100 yearly business membership. EGLE also keeps a statewide list of local collection contacts if you live outside the area.
Getting your paint ready
Count your gallons before you go, since paint is priced by the gallon. Keep paint in its original cans with lids tight and don't combine leftovers. Set aerosol cans apart; they're charged $3 each. Bring a credit or debit card or a check. Out-of-county visitors should call 989-354-2607 ahead to buy the $60 membership.
Full preparation checklist →Alpena questions5
Where can I get rid of paint in Alpena?
At the Alpena Recycling Facility, 4395 W M-32, Alpena. It's open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
How much does paint disposal cost in Alpena?
$6.50 a gallon for latex or oil-based paint, with a 1-gallon minimum. Prices can change without notice.
Can I pay cash?
No. Since January 1, 2026, the facility takes only credit or debit cards and checks.
I live outside Alpena County. Can I still drop off paint?
Yes, with a $60-a-year out-of-county membership. You can buy it by card over the phone at 989-354-2607 or pay by check at the facility.
Is the facility open on holidays?
No. It closes on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Sources and how we checked13
Checked October 16, 2026: the NMMMA home page (hours, no cash since January 1, 2026, construction bid notice), the 2026 service and price sheet revised 8-14-26 (paint $6.50 a gallon latex or oil, 1-gallon minimum, aerosols $3, memberships, holiday closures), the services, drop-off locations and contact pages, the March 19, 2026 board proceedings (member communities), the September 1, 2026 draft regional materials management plan (hazardous waste and paint taken six days a week, out-of-county fee, Iosco and Montmorency events), the construction bid notice, Michigan EGLE's household hazardous waste pages and PaintCare's non-program listing. Unresolved: the price sheet doesn't say whether Alpena County residents pay a lower rate or are exempt; no gallon limit or business quantity rule is posted; NMMMA doesn't say whether dried latex can go in household trash, and EGLE's pages don't give a drying rule. Where a new recycling center will be built and when it opens is not stated. The old county hazardous waste page on discovernortheastmichigan.org returns a 404. No phone calls were made.
Checked October 16, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority (Alpena Recycling): hours, payment notice ↗NMMMA: 2026 service and price sheet (revised 8-14-26) ↗NMMMA: services and memberships ↗NMMMA: drop-off locations ↗NMMMA: recycling guide (what the drop-off bins take) ↗NMMMA: contact (facility address, phones, hours) ↗NMMMA board proceedings, March 19, 2026 (member communities) ↗Northeast Michigan Regional Draft Materials Management Plan (September 1, 2026) ↗NMMMA: advertisement for bids, recycling center construction (2026) ↗Michigan EGLE: household hazardous waste FAQ (donating usable paint, local collections) ↗Michigan EGLE: household hazardous waste (paints and stains) ↗PaintCare drop-off site locator ↗PaintCare program states (Michigan not listed) ↗
