Disposing of Paint and Well Safety Concerns

[elizabeth-s]

We live on well and septic and we're wondering the best way to dispose of latex paint. For example, if we clean our painting supplies (i.e. paint sprayer, etc) how do we dispose of the cleaning water which has paint residue without contaminating our well?

I'm thinking about dumping the dirty water either down the drain into our septic system or directly into the ground.

Is there a danger of well contamination?

Thanks!

[Bandit]

Hi Elizabeth
This is what We have to do in enviromental obsessed Mass. with old paint .
" Empty latex paint cans can be dried up, and put out with your regular trash with the cover off. Empty cans of oil based paint must be disposed of on the town’s hazardous waste day held once a year "
Could You pour the dirty water into a plastic lined box or bucket fulled with speed dri or cat litter ?
How they do it in the land of the Fruits and Nuts
http://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/researc...ste/latex.html
And from a County Government with a little common sense .
Rinse water, from cleaning latex paint, is not hazardous. Follow these steps.

Roll as much excess paint out of the rollers as possible.
Remove rollers from handle. Wrap in a garbage bag and dispose of as garbage. Cleaning requires too much water.
Brush as much paint out of the brush as possible
Clean brushes outside if possible. Rinse water can be used to water lawns and plants.
If inside, use three buckets: Bucket #1 is wash bucket with hot water and soap. Bucket #2 is first rinse -- hot water. Bucket #3 is second rinse -- cold water.
Wash brushes thoroughly.
Allow wash and rinse buckets to settle for 24 hours.
Carefully pour the rinse water down a sink or toilet. Leave behind the last portion of the bucket that contains paint residue.
Combine the paint residue from the three buckets into one bucket.
Add kitty litter or cement to the one bucket with paint residue to absorb the free liquids.
Allow to dry for several hours.
Place bucket in a garbage bag and dispose of in the garbage
http://lewiscountywa.gov/latex-paint

[ronbre]

the law says to open the can and allow it to dry out, and then reseal it and dispose of it in the normal way...or donate it to a charity, like Habitat, they will use them in houses or mix them to form a new color and then use them..

[stanb999]

Originally Posted by elizabeth-s

We live on well and septic

You should really move.

[Harry Chickpea]

Originally Posted by Bandit

Hi Elizabeth
This is what We have to do in enviromental obsessed Mass. with old paint .
" Empty latex paint cans can be dried up, and put out with your regular trash with the cover off. Empty cans of oil based paint must be disposed of on the town’s hazardous waste day held once a year "
Could You pour the dirty water into a plastic lined box or bucket fulled with speed dri or cat litter ?
How they do it in the land of the Fruits and Nuts
http://blink.ucsd.edu/safety/researc...ste/latex.html
And from a County Government with a little common sense .
Rinse water, from cleaning latex paint, is not hazardous. Follow these steps.

Roll as much excess paint out of the rollers as possible.
Remove rollers from handle. Wrap in a garbage bag and dispose of as garbage. Cleaning requires too much water.
Brush as much paint out of the brush as possible
Clean brushes outside if possible. Rinse water can be used to water lawns and plants.
If inside, use three buckets: Bucket #1 is wash bucket with hot water and soap. Bucket #2 is first rinse -- hot water. Bucket #3 is second rinse -- cold water.
Wash brushes thoroughly.
Allow wash and rinse buckets to settle for 24 hours.
Carefully pour the rinse water down a sink or toilet. Leave behind the last portion of the bucket that contains paint residue.
Combine the paint residue from the three buckets into one bucket.
Add kitty litter or cement to the one bucket with paint residue to absorb the free liquids.
Allow to dry for several hours.
Place bucket in a garbage bag and dispose of in the garbage
http://lewiscountywa.gov/latex-paint

Fruits and nuts describes them well. Wanna make their little heads spin? Have 'em check out what they are putting in their compost pile when they toss in an orange peel:
Chemicals!?! In ORANGES!?!

[trbizwiz]

Offer left over paint on craigslist too. SOmeone always has a barn or other project that needds painted and they want free paint to do it. Repurposed is always best

[fishhead]

I clean my brushes and rollers in the kitchen sink. I've wondered what impact that might have on my drainfield.

Cabin Fever. What happens to the latex paint?

[Bandit]

clean my brushes and rollers in the kitchen sink. I've wondered what impact that might have on my drain field.
I would worry more about the lettuce in the strainer .

[Pink_Carnation]

I was told that the solids in the paint can clog the drainfield. I don't know if it is true but we never let the wash water from paint go into it.

[tinknal]

Please, people, read the question......

I would just wash outside and let drain into the soil. Modern latex paint isn't that bad, and soil organisms will break it all down naturally.

[littlebitfarm]

I take them to work and wash them!

Kathie

[rambler]

No problem pn clay soils and deep wells. If you are on sandy soils, I'd be a bit more worried.

I'd not involve the septic, no point adding things - even in small amonts, that don't break down with tummy orginisms.

If you have left over paint, which everyone is assuming but not what you asked, paint it onto paper or allow to dry in the bucket & dispose of as trash once it dries.



---->Paul

[wogglebug]

Originally Posted by elizabeth-s

... the best way to dispose of latex paint.?

I'm thinking about dumping the dirty water either down the drain into our septic system or directly into the ground.

Is there a danger of well contamination?

It's a plastic paint. It is made to dry as a biologically inactive thin film. Don't put it down your septic, or it will waterproof your drain field. This is a bad thing, and very expensive to correct. If you spread the wash-water out somewhere else, somewhere that you are later going to till, you'll have no problems. I've also seen paint-wash used on fence-posts and sheds where people won't see it, until it's too dilute to do any good.

It is not just a paint, it's also a plastic. If you don't spread it out it will dry as a solid lump which you can then dispose of. Don't dispose of the paint tins if you can avoid it - they are useful in garage or shed for storing things, and they've already been painted.

I read somewhere that some professional painters don't do much rinsing of latex or plastic paints, particularly the common or lighter colours. They just wrap the paint-soaked rollers and brushes in cling-wrap, then store them underwater (say in a drywall mud bucket). They don't dry, they are still good to go even after months or years, and the residual paint of whatever colour just gets used in the new undercoat. Saves them the cost of soaking the first quart or so of new paint they'll never be able to use into new rollers and brushes. I haven't seen it personally, but what have you got to lose?

[Rusty'sDog]

Do not allow that wash water to go into your septic...the critters working for you there cannot handle it. Your final rinse in a bucket can be left to settle, then decant off the clean water on top. You might consider pouring the leftover sludge in the bottom through a paper coffee filter, which, once dried can be thrown out with the trash, or burned in an outdoor fire pit.