We know that the paints sold on this site are made from natural ingredients, which are easy to dispose of. Some you can even just add to the compost heap. But what about all the old paint you used before switching to natural paint?
Those old tins of paint, remember those? The tins you stumble over in the dark when parking your car. They have been there for years and you just have not done anything about them. We have all got them, tins of standard household paint you bought on the high street, used a bit and then left rotting in the garage for what seems like an eternity, but you would like that space back.
What do you do with the paint? We have heard of people tipping it down drains or down the sink, but you must not do this, for a million reasons. Ever.
With your standard petrochemical paint or vinyl paint, your options for disposing of it in a clean and environmentally friendly way have been pretty limited. According to our local council, you cannot put liquid paint in your household waste kerbside collection, but if the paint is completely dried out it can be accepted in your rubbish collection. However, this is not what we would recommend. We would suggest heading to your local council main recycling centre for the safest disposal, rather than it just heading to landfill.
In our area, liquid paint can be accepted at the following Norfolk County Council Main Recycling Centres for safe disposal: King’s Lynn, Hempton, Thetford, Ketteringham, Mayton Wood, Mile Cross and Caister. If you do head to your local waste recycling centre, the paint must be in a proper designated container, such as the tin it came in. Do not take it there in anything else or they will reject it.
Top tips for getting more life out of the paint you already have
- When opening lids and containers, take care not to damage the lip so that a tight seal can be created again once the lid is back on. Some people suggest turning the paint upside down so the seal can be made, and then storing it upright. Do this with care.
- Protect the paint, both new and older, by not letting it come into contact with extreme temperatures, as this can reduce the life of the paint.
If you are looking for a way of safely disposing of paints, varnishes and white spirits, there is another way. The Community RePaint scheme has been set up in the UK. It can collect your leftover paint and helps to redistribute it to people who need it, such as individuals, families, communities and charities, to help improve the appearance of places across the UK. Have a look at the website to see where your local repaint scheme is: communityrepaint.org.uk.
“Your paint will be used by community and voluntary groups, charities and individuals in social need, for example to decorate a village hall, youth club, scout hut or the scenery for a school play.”
Our closest recycling centre to us in Norwich, Norfolk, UK is at Mile Cross:
Mile Cross Main Recycling Centre, Swanton Road, Norwich, NR2 4LH
Switch to natural paint
Once your old tins are gone, why not decorate with a paint that is kinder to dispose of next time? Mineral based breathable paints such as Graphenstone Grafclean are made from natural ingredients, contain virtually no VOCs and are far simpler to deal with at the end of their life.
