Paint Illegal in Garbage & Drains Hazardous Waste All the paint products listed below can be disposed of at a Household Hazardous Waste Facility in San Luis Obispo County. Additionally, all retail stores that sell paint in San Luis Obispo County will take back unwanted or leftover paint from the public and businesses for free. These retail stores accept up to 5 gallons per visit, except for Kelly Moore stores which will accept 20 gallons. The following items are accepted by paint retailers:• Interior and exterior architectural paints: latex, acrylic, water-based, alkyd, oil-based, enamel (all types of finishes and sheens, including textured coatings)• Deck coatings, floor paints (including elastomeric)• Primers, sealers, undercoaters• Stains• Shellacs, lacquers, varnishes, urethanes (single component)• Waterproofing concrete/masonry/wood sealers and repellents (not tar or bitumen-based)• Metal coatings, rust preventatives The following items are not accepted by paint retailers:• Leaking, unlabeled, and empty containers• Paint thinners, mineral spirits, solvents• Aerosol paints (spray cans)• Auto and marine paints• Art and craft paints• Caulking compounds, epoxies, glues, adhesives• Paint additives, colorants, tints, resins• Wood preservatives (containing pesticides)• Roof patch and repair• Tar and bitumen-based products• 2-component coatings• Deck cleaners• Traffic and road marking paints• Industrial Maintenance (IM) coatings• Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (shop application) paints and finishes Paint Retailers in San Luis Obispo County Click on your community to find a business near you. Arroyo Grande | Atascadero | Cambria | Grover Beach | Morro Bay | Nipomo | Paso Robles | Pismo Beach | Templeton Arroyo Grande Brisco’s True Value Hardware (accepts only latex paint)Miner’s Ace HardwareWalmart Atascadero Home DepotKelly-Moore PaintsMiner’s Ace HardwareTerra Paints Cambria Cambria Hardware Grover Beach Miner’s Ace Hardware Los Osos Miner’s Ace Hardware Morro Bay Miner’s Ace Hardware Nipomo Miner’s Ace Hardware Paso Robles Blake’s True Value Home CenterKelly-Moore PaintsLowe’s (accepts only latex paint)Sherwin-WilliamsWalmart San Luis Obispo Hayward Lumber (accepts only latex paint)Home DepotKelly-Moore PaintsMiner’s Ace HardwareSherwin-WilliamsWarners Paint Shop (accepts only latex paint) Templeton Hewitt Hardware Never Dump Down the Drain Dispose of oil- or water-based paint as Household Hazardous Waste. Never dump paint down the drain because it can contaminate lakes and rivers. Recycle for Free With PaintCare Recycle your unwanted house paint, primer, stain, or varnish for free at a PaintCare drop-off location. Both latex and oil-based products are accepted. All locations accept up to five gallons per visit (some take more). Paint containers should be five gallons in size or smaller and have original labels. No leaking, unlabeled, or empty containers. Spray paint is not accepted. For a list of products accepted for recycling or to find a drop-off location, visit PaintCare’s website. Throw Away Empty Cans Let empty paint cans dry out before disposing of them. Then, throw them in the trash without the lid, in order to show that the can is empty. Did You Know? We All Buy Too Much Paint Leftover paint is the single largest waste stream that local HHW programs find themselves managing. According to the EPA, approximately 10 percent of all paint sold each year will not be used.