Drop it off free
3 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store1 mi
- Ithaca Reuse Center and OfficePaint store1.5 mi
- Agway Ace NortheastPaint store2.9 mi
Ithaca, NY Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Ithaca.
NOW AVAILABLE IN ITHACA
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 Ithaca5
Start with these
Tompkins County HHW collection at Recycling and Solid Waste Center
160 Commercial Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Accepts
- Oil-based paint and stain. Latex or water-based paint only if more than one-third gallon is left in the can. Other listed household chemicals.
- Who can use it
- Tompkins County residents with a permit and appointment. Businesses and groups apply at least a week ahead for approval.
- Hours
- Appointment only, with an arrival time set at booking. Last 2026 dates: October 17 (sign-up open October 6) and November 21, 2026. No 2027 dates were posted as of October 6, 2026.
- Load limits
- One booking per household per event. We found no current load or container limits; ask when you book.
- Fees
- 2026 home vehicle permit: $30 for one year; a second vehicle is free. Ask about item charges. Businesses get a written quote.
The permit office isn’t at 160 Commercial Avenue. Regular recycling hours don’t allow walk-in hazardous waste.
Ithaca ReUse Center PaintCare drop-off
214 Elmira Road, Ithaca, NY
- Accepts
- Latex and oil-based house paint, primer, stain and clear finish in original cans.
- Who can use it
- Homes and businesses that qualify for PaintCare. Business oil-based paint has extra rules.
- Hours
- Donations for now: Friday–Monday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Tuesday–Thursday. Check that paint follows this schedule.
- Load limits
- No posted total limit; ask before you go. No container over 5 gallons.
- Fees
- ReUse takes PaintCare paint for free.
Original labels and tight lids. No leaking or empty cans, thinner, spray paint or industrial coatings. Call the Elmira Road store about room first.
3 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of Ithaca.
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 New York
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
1 mi722 S Meadow St, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Limits
- Limit: 5 Gallons per visit.
Ithaca Reuse Center and Office
1.5 mi214 Elmira Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Who
- Households and VSQG Businesses
- Hours
- Monday-Wednesday 10 am - 6 pm, Friday-Suday 10 am - 6 pm
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Agway Ace Northeast
2.9 mi2309 N Triphammer Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Meldrims Paint Center
18.6 mi3975 West Rd, Cortland, NY 13045
- Limits
- Limit: 5 Gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
18.7 mi1117 State Route 222, Cortland, NY 13045
- 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 Ithaca cleanout?3
You want to drop off paint before the next event
Ithaca ReUse takes paint at 214 Elmira Road, but donations are now Friday–Monday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. only. Call 607-257-9699 about paint and space. Go by the new notice, not the older donation page.
Your cans include oil stain and unknown chemicals
The county event takes more than ReUse and screens unknown items. Label them “unknown” rather than guessing. Book, pack the county’s way, and keep valuables out of the unloading area.
You’re comparing costs
The county event needs a vehicle permit, $30 for 2026. PaintCare drop-off at a store or reuse center is free. Business and group waste needs separate review and a quote.
Ithaca rules and tips3
THE LOCAL ANSWER
For paint only, Ithaca ReUse on Elmira Road is a PaintCare site. For other household chemicals, book Tompkins County’s October 17 or November 21, 2026 event and get the required permit.
Tompkins County events need a vehicle permit and a booked time, so a store may be easier for a little paint.
Budget for the permit
A 2026 home permit is $30 for a year; a second vehicle is free. You need the permit number to book, unlike regular recycling, which has no fee.
Check the fall dates left
The county lists October 17 and November 21, 2026. Come at your booked time, not whenever you like.
Read the latex rule closely
Tompkins takes latex or water-based paint only if more than one-third gallon is left in the container. Nearby counties use a share-of-the-can rule. Oil paint and stain are taken separately.
Free pickup programs and other options
For house paint alone, check the PaintCare locator; a store can save you buying a permit for a few cans. Businesses and groups need the county’s application, a quote and approval, or PaintCare if they qualify.
Getting your paint ready
Put the permit sticker on the driver-side window. Confirm the load limit and arrival spot; the county office and drop-off center have different Commercial Avenue addresses.
Full preparation checklist →Ithaca questions2
Can I use a borrowed car?
Yes. Permit holders can get a free one-day pass for a borrowed or rented vehicle.
Can a business sign up as a household?
No. Qualifying small businesses apply at least a week ahead, accept a written quote, then book.
Sources and how we checked8
The county’s latex rule is more than one-third gallon per container, not Rochester’s one-third of a can. ReUse’s temporary hours replace its older page; it posts no daily paint limit.
Checked October 4, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
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