Read the label. If the cleanup solvent is water, the product is latex or another water-based architectural paint. If the cleanup solvent is mineral spirits, it is oil-based. Treat an unknown can as oil-based until you know.

Photo: Paint cans arranged on shelves in a store. Santeri Viinamäki, 2017-05-02. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source. Resized for web.

EPA lists paint on its household-hazardous-waste page (updated June 1, 2026). Do not pour leftover paint down a household drain or a storm sewer.

PaintCare states

PaintCare, the industry stewardship program, operates drop-off sites in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia. The American Coatings Association described that roster in April 2026 and noted Illinois operations from December 2025 and Maryland from April 2026.

In those places, households can usually drop architectural paint at a participating retailer or municipal site. Check paintcare.org for the current locator, container size limits and whether aerosol coatings are in scope yet. California, Vermont and Connecticut have passed expansions for additional coating products; those expansions are not all live on September 13, 2026.

Trashbagging listing: PaintCare.

Trashbagging state hubs on that roster

California · Colorado · Connecticut · Illinois · Minnesota · New York · Oregon · Washington · District of Columbia

Our covered states that are not on the roster: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas.

If you are not in a PaintCare program

Oil-based paint, stains and thinners go to the local HHW site or collection event.

Dried-solid latex is accepted in the household trash in many, not all, cities. Some states and cities ban that shortcut. Do not assume kitty litter plus a garbage cart is legal where you live. Ask the hauler or the solid-waste office.

Usable, labeled latex can sometimes be donated to a reuse store. That is a local call.

One worked example: the Middlebury, Connecticut transfer station does not accept paint at all, even though Connecticut is a PaintCare state. The program site and the town site are not the same place.

Related: household hazardous waste · Drop-off locations · States & Cities.

Sources: EPA HHW; American Coatings Association PaintCare Q&A, April 22, 2026.