Painting Cleanup | Paint Removal

Clean up all spills when they happen. If building materials or other wastes get into a gutter, storm drain, or creek call the Plans & Public Works Department immediately. Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. call 831.646.3920 for other hours call the 24-hour emergency service at 831.646.3914.

All paints, solvents, and adhesives contain chemicals that are harmful to aquatic animals and other wildlife in our creeks and Bay. Toxic chemicals may come from liquid or solid products or from cleaning residues on rags. It is especially important not to clean brushes or painting equipment (buckets, pans, hoses, etc.) in an area where paint or paint cleanup water can flow to a gutter, street, or storm drain.

Painting Cleanup

• Never clean brushes or rinse paint containers into a street, gutter, storm drain, or stream.
• For water-based paints, paint out brushes on scrap material to the extent possible, and rinse to the sanitary sewer.
• For oil-based paints, paint out brushes to the extent possible, filter and reuse thinners and solvents. Dispose of excess paint and thinner through your local household hazardous waste disposal program.
• When they are thoroughly dry, empty paint cans, spent brushes, rags, and drop cloths may be disposed of as trash. Leave the lids off paint cans so the refuse collector can see that they are empty.
• Dispose of empty aerosol paint cans as household hazardous waste.
• Use up excess water-based paint or give it to a neighbor, or take to a household hazardous waste event. Most household hazardous waste collection programs recycle latex paint.
• Use up leftover oil-based paint if possible. Paint residue is a hazardous waste and must be taken to household hazardous waste collection events.
• Reused unwanted paint (that is not recycled), thinners and sludges must be disposed of as hazardous waste.

Paint Removal

• Chemical paint stripping residue, including saturated rags, is a hazardous waste. Sweep up and save for household hazardous waste drop-off day.
• Chips and dust from marine paints or paints containing lead or tributyl tin are hazardous wastes. Dry sweep and dispose of appropriately.
• Paint chips and dust from non-hazardous dry stripping and sand blasting may be swept up and disposed of as garbage.
• When stripping or cleaning building exteriors with high-pressure water, block storm drains. Wash water onto a dirt area and spade into soil, unless the paint is lead based. Or, check with the local wastewater treatment authority to find out if you can collect (mop or vacuum) building cleaning water and dispose to the sanitary sewer.

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