We’ve lived in our house for 14 years and I think we still have paint for the previous owners sitting on the shelves under the basement stairs. Perhaps that’s a bit extreme, but I’d be willing to bet there are a few of you with a couple of gallons of unwanted paint in your basement, too. So, what to do with them? Well, one way to dispose of them is to open the lids and let the paint dry out so you can throw them in the trash. Seems reasonable, but the Washington State Department of Ecology estimates that 695,000 gallons of paint are wasted every year, at a minimum, with 70% of it latex, so that’s a lot of paint that goes into our landfills. Alternatively, you can give Reed Painting’s “Green Man” a call during their Green Reed Paint Drive and he’ll swing by this weekend (3/5 and 3/6), or next weekend (3/12 and 3/13) and pick up your paint for $20. You can also drop off right here in Wallingford (3668 Albion Pl. N.) for free, now through March 13.
Reed Painting takes unwanted paint, sorts them, strains them, and categorizes them by color to turn them into recycled paint or to share them with the community. All of their recycled paint is free to the public. Last year, they collected 200 gallons in the area. Give ’em a call to schedule a pick up or drop-off: 206-965-0504 or visit their website: www.reedpaint.com