Paint It Green
Paint It Green
I’m guessing you currently have a paint can or two sitting under your kitchen sink or hiding in a cupboard somewhere? Perhaps you’re saving it for a future project, unsure of how to safely get rid of it, or just forgot that it’s sitting there, slowly solidifying. And maybe you want to make more sustainable paint choices in the future but you’re overwhelmed by eco-credentials and what on earth is a VOC? Join me as I break down how to safely dispose of your paints and varnishes, and how to use paint in a sustainable, and healthy (for you and the environment) way!
How to Dispose of Paint
The best way to dispose of paint is to use it. Paint can be kept for touch ups (keep at room temperature and carefully sealed), for both furniture and walls. If you have a large amount ask family and friends if they need it, or post it on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or Freecycle. You can also give it to charity! Community RePaint is a UK network of several schemes that collect surplus and leftover paint and make it available to individuals, families, community groups and charities who need it.
If it’s old and unsuitable for re-use, make sure paint is hardened and dried before you dispose of it. Do not wash it down the sink as it’s damaging to the environment and watercourses (yes, even water based paint) and causes blockages. It also cannot go in your household waste bin.
If it’s a small amount, brush it onto scrap paper or cardboard and leave it to dry, then it can go in your household bin.
If there’s a larger amount (a few centimetres deep), add sand, dry soil or sawdust to the can and leave to harden. Recycling & waste centres can’t accept liquid paint as liquid waste is banned from landfill sites.
Take your paint cans to your nearest household waste recycling scheme - your local council website can advise you on where it is. Metal paint cans can be recycled but some plastic paint cans can’t be recycled, but your local recycling centre can dispose of them responsibly. Recycle Now is also a fantastic to resource on how and where to recycle almost anything.
Solvent based paint, paint thinner and white spirit should be disposed of as hazardous waste. When you use white spirit (mineral spirits), methylated spirit, paint thinner, acetone, turpentine - decant into a dedicated bottle for that substance. I use an old bottle of the same spirit, but you can use any plastic bottle, just make sure you carefully label what it is, that it has a secure and child safe lid, and it is kept away from children. When it is near full, check with your local council for where to take hazardous waste and if you need to follow any disposal safety procedures.
Buying New Paint
If you have a new project that involves the purchase of new paint, there’s a couple of things to consider. How much do you actually need? Buying just enough for what you need avoids paint waste. Many paint companies have paint calculators on their website to work out how much you will need to buy. The other question is what paint should you buy? Fortunately, you can now buy fantastic environmentally friendly paints and varnishes, and even major paint brands are continuously improving their environment credentials and some have their own eco-friendly ranges.
Lots of paint producers claim to be eco-friendly, but what does that actually mean? There’s no industry standard for the ‘eco-friendly’ label, but some things you can expect from a good eco-friendly paint:
Sustainable and non toxic ingredients.
Manufactured and/or distributed in ways that are kinder to the environment.
Paint containers - that are made from recycled material, and that they can be recycled. Glass and metal in particular.
Low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are the bad fumes from paint that can trigger respiratory issues.
Water based (you can tell if a paint is water based if the can recommends cleaning up afterwards with water).
Free from: acrylics, oils, vinyls, formaldehydes, solvents and plastics.
Quality and durability - reducing the number of times you repaint is the most sustainable option so durability is important.
Local manufacture - products made in your country with ingredients from your country will likely have a lower carbon footprint.
Small batch production or mixed to order - reducing paint waste by only producing paint by demand
They offer paper or adhesive swatches instead of/in addition to paint samples
You may find that very few paints tick every single one of these boxes, and it’s sometimes not easy to find out the above information. However, I’ve included a list of great eco paint companies below. Eco paint production is a very fast growing industry so keep your eyes out for new paint businesses, you may even find a paint producer in your area!