Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Harrisonburg.
813 Greendale Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
The October 10, 2026 hazardous waste day has passed, and no 2027 date is posted. The county brochure says the events run each spring and fall.
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.
813 Greendale Rd, Harrisonburg, VA 22801
4576 Dick Woods Rd (Rt 637), Charlottesville, VA 22903
349 Landfill Rd, Edinburg, VA 22824
From PaintCare’s drop-off map ↗, updated October 6, 2026. Hours and limits are PaintCare’s. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Leave the lids off until the paint is completely dry. Then reserve bulk pickup in ReCollect by noon the business day before your trash day and set the cans out.
Keep both cans sealed and labeled until the next household hazardous waste day at 813 Greendale Road. The October 10, 2026 day has passed, so watch for the spring date or call 540-434-5928.
That’s more than the 5-unit limit for one event. The city encourages consolidating, but items must still be labeled and in original containers no bigger than 5 gallons. Anything over 5 units has to wait for a later event.
Take it to the Rockingham County Landfill, 813 Greendale Road, Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m. The landfill takes latex only if it’s completely dried. City residents pay $65 per ton for residential loads.
Let latex paint dry out completely, then reserve a bulk pickup through the city’s ReCollect service by noon the business day before your trash day. Oil-based paint goes only to a household hazardous waste day at the Rockingham County Landfill, 813 Greendale Road. The city’s last posted date, October 10, 2026, has passed, and no 2027 date is posted.
In Harrisonburg, Virginia, latex and oil-based paint go different ways. Dry latex completely and set it out with the city’s scheduled bulk pickup, or take it to the Rockingham County Landfill on Greendale Road. Oil-based paint waits for a household hazardous waste day at that landfill, held each spring and fall for city and Rockingham County residents.
Harrisonburg’s bulk list says latex paint must be completely dried out. Since January 5, 2026, bulk and yard debris is picked up on your regular trash day, but only if you reserve it through ReCollect by 12 p.m. the business day before. Each week you can set out up to five bulk items.
Oil-based paint isn’t accepted for bulk or yard debris pickup. It goes to the household hazardous waste drop-off at the Rockingham County Landfill. The city’s last 2026 date was Saturday, October 10, 8 a.m.–noon. The county brochure says events run each spring and fall; watch for the next date.
Each household can bring 5 units per event, and the city encourages consolidating. Containers must be labeled, original and no bigger than 5 gallons. Latex paint and chlorinated solvents such as methylene chloride are turned away.
The city’s bulk notes say “dried out” oil-based paint can be brought to Household Hazardous Waste Days. The city’s hazardous waste list, the county landfill page and the county brochure just say oil-based paint. None of them tells you to dry it. If your oil-based paint is still liquid, call 540-434-5928 to ask before the event.
The county’s recycling brochure says latex can’t be thrown out liquid; once dried, it can go out with normal trash. The county convenience sites are at Bergton, Elkton, Grottoes, Mauzy and Ottobine. Loads of 250 pounds or more are sent to the landfill.
Virginia has no PaintCare program, so paint stores don’t take leftovers back for free. Give usable paint to a neighbor or community group. The county brochure suggests donating paint you can’t use. The city’s Recycling Convenience Center at 2055 Beery Road (Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–noon) takes recyclables and electronics, but the city’s pages don’t list paint there. The city says the hazardous waste days are for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County residents; PaintCare’s listing says households only, no businesses.
Latex: take the lid off and let it air-dry, or stir in kitty litter, sand or sawdust until it’s solid. Oil-based: keep it in its labeled original can, 5 gallons or smaller. The city encourages consolidating so you stay within 5 units.
Full preparation checklist →The city’s pages don’t say. They send latex to bulk collection, and the bulk list says it must be completely dried out. Reserve a pickup through ReCollect by noon the business day before your trash day, or ask Public Works at 540-434-5928 about the Toter.
None is posted. The city’s posted 2026 date, October 10, has passed; PaintCare’s listing also showed May 9, 2026. The county brochure says events run in spring and fall. Call 540-434-5928 or Rockingham County’s Recycling Coordinator at 540-564-3008.
No. Latex paint isn’t accepted at the hazardous waste days. Dry it and use bulk pickup.
Yes. The Rockingham County Landfill, 813 Greendale Road, takes latex if it’s completely dried, Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m. City residents pay $65 per ton for residential loads.
Rockingham County residents can dry latex and put it out with normal trash, and can bring oil-based paint to the same spring and fall hazardous waste days at the landfill.
October 16, 2026: read the City of Harrisonburg Trash and Recycling page and its Hazardous Waste Collection page. Latex must be completely dried for bulk pickup; bulk is reserved through ReCollect by 12 p.m. the prior business day and collected on trash day from January 5, 2026. Oil-based paint isn’t taken at bulk; “dried out” oil-based paint can go to hazardous waste days. The 2026 drop-off was Saturday, October 10, 8 a.m.–noon at the Rockingham County Landfill, for city and county residents, 5 units, labeled original containers up to 5 gallons, no latex or chlorinated solvents. Read the city Recycling page (2055 Beery Road hours; paint not listed). Read Rockingham County’s Landfill page in a browser (hours, 2026 holiday schedule, no latex unless completely dried, oil-based on hazardous waste day only, tipping fees) and the county Recycling Brochure PDF (updated 10/3/2025: dry latex for normal trash; events spring and fall; convenience sites). PaintCare’s locator lists the event as a non-program, household-only site with May 9 and October 10, 2026 dates (both past); the May 9 date appears only there, since the city page now shows only October 10. October 17, 2026 fact-check: “dried out” oil-based wording appears only in the city’s bulk note; no source tells residents to dry oil-based paint, so the guide doesn’t either. Virginia is not a PaintCare state. Unresolved: the spring 2027 date; whether liquid oil-based paint is accepted (the city mentions dried oil-based paint); whether the city allows dried latex in the regular Toter.
Checked October 16, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
