At home, many people will use all sorts of solvents for the purposes of DIY home renovation and redecoration. Paint, for example, is one of the most commonly-used solvents around the home.
As is often the case, we find that, after a particular DIY project around the home, we will have some spare solvents like paint leftover, and then there is that unenviable task of trying to find out what to do with it, or where to store it.
If you find yourself in this exact position, then here is a handy guide to help you dispose of those solvents safely.
What to do with paint
Paint, as mentioned above, is perhaps a common solvent found in the homes of many a DIYer in Britain. Because paint can only be purchased in specific measurements (for example, 2.5 litres, 5 litres, 20 litres), people often end up with a surplus of paint.
Here are some of the most common things you can do with any surplus paint:
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Store it - paint normally has a shelf life of between 10 to 15 years (depending on the type of paint it is), so you could simply make sure that it is sealed up properly and store it in your shed or your garage, for example. Walls are often subject to wear and tear, so if you ever need to repaint part of your wall, you still have the same paint colour that you can use;
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Give it to friends and family - one of your friends or a family member might need some paint for a small project in their home, so by giving them your surplus paint you can save them having to buy a new tin of the stuff, and you get rid of your unwanted paint. This is definitely a win-win situation!
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Donate it - if your paint is reusable and in good condition, you should consider donating it to the Community RePaint scheme, so that someone else could make use of your paint. In 2012, the scheme helped people reuse nearly 400,000 litres of paint across the UK.
If the paint has “gone bad” and is no longer reusable, then you can dispose of any leftover emulsion paint with your normal waste. You will need to add some sand to any paint still inside of the tin first and then leave it out to set as a solid (this process might take a couple of weeks).
For solvent-based paint, you will need to take it to your local waste recycling centre. Before you do so, you should contact your local authority to check whether you need permission to do so first.
What to do with other solvents
If you have other solvents such as flammable liquids like white spirit or oil, you will either need to contact your local council to find out what the procedures are for chemical waste disposal, or enlist the services of a private company that has a specialist solvent recovery system.
Bare in mind that either option may result in you having to pay to have your waste processed and properly disposed of.
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