Paints, thinners and wood preservatives

The following are examples of paints, thinners and wood preservatives that can be disposed of in the waste for energy recover container.

• brush cleaner;
• decking / wood oil;
• paint - oil and water based;
• paint remover;
• paint thinners such as white spirit;
• turpentine;
• varnish;
• varnish remover; and
• wood preservative.

If you have no use for these items please pass them onto someone else who might use them.

Tins, bottles and sprays containing these must be firmly secured to prevent leakages. If paint is still in a very liquid condition you will need to harden it before disposal. You can buy a paint hardener, or add sawdust, sand or soil to the tin and leave the lid off until the paint becomes solid and dry. Please refit the lid and ensure it is fully hardened before taking it to the HWRC.

Paint is not currently reused or recycled however empty metal emulsion paint tins can be placed in the scrap metal skip for recycling. On some sites we have containers for hard plastics. Please ask staff for assistance.

Paint, thinners and wood preservative from a business or charity must be disposed of through a private licensed contractor.

Find out more about paint reuse from recyclenow.com.

Find your local household waste recycling centre