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 Hardware
Walmart

Atascadero

Home Depot
Kelly-Moore Paints
Miner’s Ace Hardware
Terra 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 Center
Kelly-Moore Paints
Lowe’s (accepts only latex paint)
Sherwin-Williams
Walmart

San Luis Obispo

Hayward Lumber (accepts only latex paint)
Home Depot
Kelly-Moore Paints
Miner’s Ace Hardware
Sherwin-Williams
Warners Paint Shop (accepts only latex paint)

Templeton

Hewitt Hardware

storm drain

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.

paintcare

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.

empty-paint-can

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.