MOSES LAKE — Those old cans of paint that you swore someday you’d use but which are now just collecting dust in the garage? There’s a way to get rid of them safely at no charge.

“It’s estimated that 10 percent of paint goes unused each year,” said Lauren Scher, Washington and Oregon Program Manager for PaintCare, a nonprofit organization that operates paint recycling centers nationwide. “So, rather than having it sit around in your garage or your farm or your barn, take it to a drop-off site.”

Improperly-handled paint can affect the environment in some pretty nasty ways, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Paint can contain arsenic, cadmium and sometimes lead, all of which are toxic even in low concentrations. 

There are two locations in Grant County and two in Adams County where unused paint can be brought for recycling, according to PaintCare’s website. In Moses Lake, the two Sherwin-Williams stores – one on West Valley Road, the other on East Yonezawa Boulevard – accept paint during regular business hours, although people bringing it in are asked to call ahead so store personnel can get ready. In Adams County, the Bruce Transfer Station east of Othello and the Ritzville Transfer Station both accept paint. All those locations have limits to how much can be brought in at one time, and paint has to be in its original container with the label and lid on it. Paint that’s not in its original container is considered hazardous waste, Scher said, and while retail locations can’t accept it, the Adams County transfer stations can.

 Users with large quantities of paint can take advantage of PaintCare’s Large Volume Pickup service, Scher said.

“If folks have more than 100 gallons of paint, PaintCare can come and pick it up directly from them,” Scher said. “They just have to go to our website and fill out a form, and we’ll get it processed within a couple of business days.”

There is no charge either for dropping off paint or the Large Volume Pickup, Scher added; the costs are funded through a fee added to the price of every container of paint sold in the state.

“Once it's collected, it's carefully sorted and managed to its highest, best use,” Scher said. “If it can be reused, that would be the ideal, to use it in its original (form). How it was sold originally. We'll send it to a recycler where they'll most likely color match it (and sell it) as recycled-content paint. It's a really cool process where they can give it a second life.”

PaintCare is a program of the American Coatings Association, a trade association for the paint industry, according to its website. The program in Washington began in 2021, and the organization has taken in an estimated 4.8 million gallons since that time.

“The really cool thing about Washington is that folks really like recycling,” Scher said. “For the second year in a row, we collected more than 1 million gallons, which is pretty impressive.”

More information is available at www.paintcare.org.

Grant County

Sherwin-Williams Paint Store

208 W Valley Road, Moses Lake, WA 98837

509-764-4585

Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sherwin-Williams Commercial Paint Store

1550 E. Yonezawa Blvd.

(509) 766-0004

Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-12 p.m., closed Sunday

Limit 20 gallons per visit. These sites accept latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. They do not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking or empty. Users are asked to call ahead before bringing paint.

Adams County

Bruce Transfer Station

504 S Lucy Road, Othello

(509) 488-6171

December-March Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

April-November Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Ritzville Transfer Station

1803 E Danekas Rd, Ritzville

(509) 659-1540

Wednesday and Saturday 9 am - 4 pm

Limit 15 gallons per visit. These sites accept latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. They also take most other household hazardous waste; contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers. Some businesses may use this program by appointment or on special days. Contact the program for details if your paint (or other hazardous waste) is from a business.

    There is no charge for dropping off paint to be recycled; the cost is covered by a fee added to every paint sale.