Replies

1. 
   jcallahan | Jan 02, 2002 05:53pm | #1

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   Check with your state DEP/ EPA. Many post their guidelines/rules/regs online.

1. 
   Joe_Hennessey | Jan 02, 2002 06:34pm | #2

   *I have no clue what good this really does, but pour it out on newspapers and let it dry. Once dry it is not a toxic waste.In other words, once the toxins have evaporated & polluted the atmosphere, you can then landfill it. Waterbased gets used here in Southern Cal for graffitti cover up. The cities have a collection station or some means of collecting it. They mix it into a nice nondescript tan or whatever is needed and go around spraying last nights messages from the local morons who can't seem to spell anything I can read. And put it in the damnedest places too. Joe H

1. 
   AndyL | Jan 02, 2002 07:58pm | #3

   *The only proper way I know of to dipose of that stuff is bringing it to a facility equipped to handle toxic and hazardous materials. In my area, the county sewerage district has a parternship with an environmental disposal firm that accepts materials of all sorts from individuals, free of charge. I guess to discourage people from pouring varnish down the drain...If you use the stuff for business, you'll probably have to find an independant disposal firm, which might be costly. But it takes a lot of newspaper to soak up a gallon of used thinner!It really depends on your area, some municipalities are more helpful than others. I would start by calling your local DPW, or whoever picks up your trash. With enough searching, you should be able to find someone (public or private) who will be able to help you out.Good luck,Andy

1. 
   Scooter_ | Jan 02, 2002 08:07pm | #4

   *Or your local paint store.

1. 
   Jerry_Albrecht | Jan 02, 2002 08:45pm | #5

   *Where I live in Michigan, they told me to let it stand open till it totally hardens. I use a stick to break the skin and stir it up so it will evaporate quicker. Once it's solid the dump will take it. Otherwise we have to pay an EPA approved disposal site to take it.

2. 
   xJohn_Sprung | Jan 02, 2002 11:52pm | #6

   *Check the yellow pages for recycling centers. Many will take your old motor oil, paint, and such for a nominal fee, maybe $0.50 per gallon. They may also pay you for things such as scrap copper wire and pipe, lead, brass, aluminum cans.... Can't hurt to ask.-- J.S.

3. 
   Dave_Richeson | Jan 03, 2002 03:43am | #7

   *For the solvent, pour it through a felt funnel. This will remove about 75% of the dissolved resins and pigments. There are filters available to remove 90+% of the contaminates in spent solvent, but they are expensive. Let the solvent set for a few days prior to filtering, and carefully pour the liquid off of any solids that have settled out. Reuse the filtered solvent and repeat the filter process. You recycle and save a bunch on solvent.When I worked as a lab tech in a paint lab, we recycled all of our dirty solvent. It made no difference what the solvent was, it all went through a filter press and came back to us as "cleaner solvent". We could not use it as reducing solvent in our product formulations, but it sure was a great clean-up product. Paint companies always recycle all of thier product. It is called "working off" into future batches of similar products. Be creative, and as Joe pointed out, you will find uses for most of what you have.Dave

4. 
   davamoore | Jan 03, 2002 08:05pm | #8

   *I think you may have posted this question over on Knots, too. If you did, this might be a repeat answer for you, but for those who don't go over there:Try Earth 911 at http://www.earth911.orgThey have a national database of recycling centers, hazardous waste disposal info, etc.David

5. 
   Jeff_Maras | Jan 06, 2002 01:25am | #9

   *Where do you get felt funnels?The Wood Doc

6. 
   Phill_Giles | Jan 06, 2002 03:22am | #10

   *Where I live it is a no-no to send any solvent based product, oil, any paint, tires, any type of battery, drywall, paper, or readily recycleable glass/plastic materials anywhere but a recycling centre or commercial recycler for disposal. HfH will take appreciable quantities of paint, most of the commercial painting operations will take undiluted solvent for their own use. The town provides a free hazardous waste depot for house-holder quantities of most of these products.

7. 
   Dave_Richeson | Jan 06, 2002 06:23pm | #11

   *Jeff, I buy felt at fabric stores and hobby/craft stores. Cut it in a circle, fold it in half twice and open it up. I have also puchased filter funnels(mesh paper, cheese cloth,nylon and felt) from Sherwin William, and Porter Paint. I have an old ring stand from my lab days and I place a paper funnel filter in the ring with a felt funnel inside it.As far a polluting the air with hydrocarbon solvent, where does it go when it is use up in product application? A gallon of oil base paint on a wall or a piece of cardboard still releases the same amount VOC into the air. Don' get me wrong, I would rather use more environmentally friendly products all the time, but untill that is all that is available, I don't think the "tree huggers" should beat anyone up for properly using legal products.California has some of the most strict air quality laws in the country for Volitle Organic Compound(VOC) emmissions. If a products says it complies with CA Rule 66 or thier current version of it, I feel like it has passed a very stringent test. I follow label directions for use and disposal, and hope I don't polltue. When I am in doubt I call our state EPA and ask guestions befor I start.Dave

2. 
   ChuckT_ | Jan 06, 2002 06:23pm | #12

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   Is there an environmentally sound way to dispose of oil based paint, varnish etc? My local dumpo takes it only once a year and that day is a long way off.