Seeking Safe Home for Toxic Goop
I’ve collected half a dozen cans of awful stuff like old paint, charcoal starter (we don’t use it anymore), and assorted very toxic chemicals. CANNOT find anything on NYC.gov or 311 about recycling hazardous chemical waste safely; there are E-waste pickups, but this ain’t that. Nassau County does 1 toxic-chem drop-off site a month, but…
I’ve collected half a dozen cans of awful stuff like old paint, charcoal starter (we don’t use it anymore), and assorted very toxic chemicals. CANNOT find anything on NYC.gov or 311 about recycling hazardous chemical waste safely; there are E-waste pickups, but this ain’t that. Nassau County does 1 toxic-chem drop-off site a month, but it seems absurd to burn gas going out to Hempstead to ditch a shopping bag full of crud. Any suggestions? Otherwise, it’s going into the dumpster that’s parked out front on unrelated business!
There is a dropoff in Brooklyn on Saturdays for hazardous waste. The location is on the Sanitation Dept website.
Sanit site says to put extra paint in unrecyclable containers & put them in regular rubbish.
seconding SJ’s referral link. esp older paint may have nasty chemicals in it. even if the paint is dry, it will seem into the ground water. best bet is to drop off at the brooklyn recycling location in that link so they can dispose of the hazardous materials properly.
Home Depot and Lowes sell a paint additive for 99 cents that dries it solid.
if lot of paint in paint can won’t dry so easily…forms skin on top. You could throw bunch of kitty litter in it and then will dry better.
I had the same thing. Sanit web site says to let cans dry out & then put them in recycling.
Re: Lighter Fluid – If you just leave the container open for a few days it will all evaporate…
Open the paint cans and let them dry out, then throw them away with the regular trash. Not sure about lighter fluid. Use it?
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dsny/html/collection/special_schedule.shtml