Paint recycling
in Washington.
Free paint drop-off at many stores and county sites, from Seattle to Spokane. Rules change county to county.
Check your local rules.
Many paint and hardware stores take latex and oil-based house paint for free. County hazardous waste sites take paint too, plus chemicals like thinner, but some only serve their own residents or charge fees. Check your city guide before you go.
Free paint recycling.
Washington has a free paint recycling program called PaintCare. Many paint and hardware stores take leftover house paint, stain and varnish at no charge.
How it works in Washington ↗20 cities
Bellingham ↗
Bellingham's Disposal of Toxics site takes both liquid latex and oil-based paint. Latex that has already dried out is handled differently.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonBremerton ↗
Bremerton has both of Kitsap's paint drop-offs: the county's South Kitsap hazardous waste site on Imperial Way and a PaintCare drop-off at the Habitat store on Wheaton Way. The county transfer station on Barney White Road doesn't take paint.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonEllensburg ↗
In Ellensburg, you need an appointment to drop off hazardous waste. Showing up during regular garbage hours doesn't mean staff can take your paint.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonEverett ↗
Everett's county drop-off is handy if you're clearing out a mix of household chemicals. But it charges a fee for latex paint. Check for a PaintCare store first.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonKennewick ↗
Kennewick has the county's only permanent household hazardous waste site, plus four PaintCare stores in the city. Two waste sites are on South Ely Street. Only the county site at 1709 takes liquid paint.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonLongview ↗
Longview takes household hazardous waste for just two hours, two days a week. Plan around those hours, not the transfer station's longer ones.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonMoses Lake ↗
In Moses Lake, a paint store listed by the county takes small paint-only loads all year. Other household hazardous waste may have to wait for a county collection event.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonOlympia ↗
Olympia households can take latex, oil paint and related chemicals to HazoHouse in Lacey. The number to plan around is its daily limit for paint products.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonPort Angeles ↗
In Port Angeles, take regular canned house paint to a PaintCare store. The hazardous waste area at the transfer station is for solvents and spray paint.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonPort Townsend ↗
Port Townsend has one PaintCare store downtown for paint only, and no permanent county hazardous waste site. Jefferson County holds household chemical events in spring and late summer. The rest of the year, use Kitsap's site in Bremerton.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonPullman ↗
Whitman County takes household paint and chemicals at its landfill outside Pullman. A student or household cleanout is treated differently from waste from a business or school.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonRichland ↗
Richland runs its own garbage service and Horn Rapids Landfill, but neither takes paint. Take paint and painting chemicals to Benton County's site in Kennewick or to a PaintCare store. Richland's two Sherwin-Williams stores have very different limits.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonSeattle ↗
In Seattle, Rodda-Miller Paint on Aurora Avenue takes latex and oil-based house paint for recycling. For household oil paint and solvents, there are also the North and South Seattle hazardous waste sites.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonSpokane ↗
Spokane has three public drop-offs for household paint: the city's Waste to Energy facility on Geiger Boulevard and the county's North and Valley transfer stations. Each takes up to 15 gallons. Business waste goes elsewhere.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonSpokane Valley ↗
Spokane Valley has two transfer stations that take household paint seven days a week: the county's Valley station on Sullivan Road and the city's Sunshine station on University Road. Different companies run them, with different holidays and business rules.
Checked October 6, 2026WashingtonTacoma ↗
Tacoma has two good options. Habitat takes leftover house paint. The city hazardous waste site takes household oil paint and other chemicals.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonVancouver ↗
Vancouver residents can take household paint to two transfer stations, but only during their hazardous waste hours.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonWalla Walla ↗
Sudbury takes household hazardous waste from county residents. It also takes some paint from businesses. Count your can sizes before you figure out how much you can bring.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonWenatchee ↗
Chelan County's site north of Wenatchee takes latex and oil paint all year. Which county you live in matters if you're coming from across the river.
Checked October 4, 2026WashingtonYakima ↗
Yakima County's Terrace Heights site takes household cleanouts and waste from qualifying small businesses. Farm waste goes somewhere else.
Checked October 4, 2026Spray cans, thinner and other chemicals?
Paint stores won’t take these. Take them to your local household hazardous waste site. Your city guide lists it.
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