Latex paint does not contain toxic materials and can be disposed of in your regular household trash; however, it must be completely dry and solid. We suggest removing the paint can lid and letting the paint dry out in a well-ventilated area. For large amounts of paint, you can mix in sawdust, kitty litter, or shredded paper to speed up the drying process. After the paint has dried, put the container in your garbage can with the lid off.

For more disposal options, including options for donating unused paint, please click here.

Oil-based paint is considered Household Chemical Waste and cannot be disposed of in residential trash. For a list of permanent drop-off sites and one-day collections in the area, please click here.

Lead-based paint removal and disposal poses significant environmental and health-related challenges. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has prepared a helpful webpage to address these challenges.

Questions? Please contact the Public Works Department at 847-853-7500 or pubworks@wilmette.com.

This page was last updated 7/18/22