Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Richmond.
3800 E Richmond Rd, Richmond, VA 23223
The center does not take fire extinguishers, asbestos, road flares, herbicides, pesticides, explosives, or radioactive or infectious materials. City staff help unload.
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.
10300 Courthouse Rd, North Chesterfield, VA 23832
7427 Verdi Ln, Mechanicsville, VA 23116
3626 W. Hundred Rd, Chester, VA 23831
2701 Conduit Rd, Colonial Heights, VA 23834
6301 Olivet Church Rd (Route 618), New Kent, VA 23124
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, take the lids off and let it dry, or stir in kitty litter. Once it’s solid, put it in your trash. No drive needed.
Take them to the ERRCC in their original containers with your ID. They’re free, up to 20 gallons of paint a month.
The ERRCC won’t take your paint. Check Henrico County’s own program; CVWMA serves the city and nearby counties but each locality runs its own drop-off.
Offer it to neighbors, a school drama department or a graffiti cleanup program before you dry it out. CVWMA suggests exactly that.
Dry latex paint in the open can, then put it in your regular trash; that’s the city’s advice. Take oil-based paint, stain and thinner to the East Richmond Road Convenience Center at 3800 E. Richmond Rd. (weekdays 7 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.). It’s free for city residents, up to 20 gallons of paint a month.
Richmond takes oil-based paint and solvents for free at the East Richmond Road Convenience Center, six days a week, for city residents only. Latex paint is different: the city and CVWMA say to let it dry and put it in your regular trash.
The city says latex and water-based paint can be left in open cans until dry, then put out with curbside trash. CVWMA’s Richmond guide adds that kitty litter, sawdust or a store-bought paint hardener speeds it up. It also suggests giving larger amounts to neighbors or school drama departments.
The ERRCC at 3800 E. Richmond Rd. takes oil-based paint, stain, varnish, polyurethane and thinners for free. You can bring up to 20 gallons of paint a month per household. Staff check ID and help unload.
The ERRCC turns away anyone living outside city limits. A Richmond mailing address in Henrico or Chesterfield doesn’t count. Those counties run their own programs; for example, CVWMA lists a Hanover County hazardous waste day on November 7, 2026 for Hanover residents.
The city held a free recycling and disposal event at 1710 Robin Hood Road on September 12, 2026. It took oil-based paint but not latex. That date is past, and no next date was posted when we checked. Use the ERRCC instead.
Virginia has no PaintCare program, so stores don’t take paint back. For latex, the city’s own advice is to dry it and trash it. Usable paint can go to a neighbor, a school drama department or a graffiti cleanup program, as CVWMA suggests. Businesses can’t use the ERRCC and need a paid hazardous waste company.
Bring a driver’s license, utility bill or vehicle registration with a City of Richmond address. Keep oil-based paint and solvents in their original containers with lids on. For latex, leave the lid off somewhere safe, or stir in kitty litter until it’s solid, before it goes in your Supercan.
Full preparation checklist →CVWMA’s Richmond guide says latex isn’t taken for recycling. Dry it out and put it in your regular trash, as the city also advises.
Up to 20 gallons a month per household at the East Richmond Road Convenience Center.
No. It only takes waste from people who live inside Richmond city limits. Check your own county’s program.
The last one we found was September 12, 2026, which has passed. No new date was posted on October 7, 2026. The ERRCC is open six days a week anyway.
No. The ERRCC doesn’t take hazardous waste from businesses.
October 7, 2026: read Richmond DPW’s trash collection page (ERRCC address, hours, ID rules and accepted list), the city’s August 10, 2026 release for the September 12, 2026 event (past), CVWMA’s Richmond recycling guide and its events calendar, Virginia DEQ’s resident guidance and PaintCare’s locator data (no City of Richmond site listed). The city’s ERRCC list says “paints” without naming latex; CVWMA says latex is not taken and the city’s event release says to dry latex and trash it, so we told readers to dry latex. The Hanover County date (November 7, 2026) is from CVWMA’s events calendar. Not checked: Henrico and Chesterfield county drop-off details.
Checked October 7, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
