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Paint Disposal · Denver, CO

Oil Based Paint Disposal in Denver

Before you go

Oil-based finishes are genuinely hazardous waste. Unlike latex, there is no dry-it-out shortcut here.

  1. Know what counts

    Oil-based and alkyd paint, stain, varnish, shellac, polyurethane, paint thinner, and mineral spirits are all in this category. So is the solvent you cleaned the brushes with.

  2. Keep everything in its original labelled container

    Unlabelled containers get refused, or surcharged as unknown waste because the site has to pay to identify them. Don't decant into a milk jug.

  3. Don't consolidate different products

    Mixing thinner into leftover stain creates a container nobody can characterise, which is the most expensive thing to hand a hazardous waste facility.

  4. Deal with the rags before they deal with you

    Rags soaked in oil-based finish generate heat as they cure and have started house fires in a wadded pile. Lay them flat outdoors on a non-flammable surface until they are fully dry and hard, or keep them submerged in a sealed metal can of water until you hand them over.

  5. Check the per-visit cap before you load the car

    Caps vary by program and are usually stated in two ways: a per-container maximum, commonly five gallons, and a per-visit total, often around fifteen gallons or a hundred-odd pounds. Read your own site's number before a garage clear-out, because the difference is a second trip.

Compare options

Oil Based Paint Disposal in Denver

1 free · 2 fee-based

Facility Cost Open now Notes
PaintCare Colorado — Sherwin-Williams / Kelly-Moore Free
PaintCare fee included in purchase price		 Hours not published Walk-in Colorado has a PaintCare program — drop off unused paint at participating retailers.
Paid or fee-based options
Rooney Road Recycling Center(303) 269-9448 Depends on the item
Electronics: per-item fee. HHW: $0-$3 per item		 Wed & Sat 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM (by appointment) Appointment Award-winning HHW facility owned by Jefferson County coalition.
WM At Your Door (Mail-In Paint & HHW)(800) 449-7587 Ask when you book
Varies by kit size		 Hours not published Appointment Pickup avail. WM At Your Door (formerly 'Door-to-Door' program) serves Denver and Aurora residents.

How it works in Denver

Same PaintCare program as latex — oil-based paint, stains, varnish, shellac all accepted free at 60+ metro drop-off sites since July 2015. Do NOT pour down drain or put in trash; oil-based paint is hazardous even though Colorado classifies it under PaintCare rather than HHW. Free at Rooney Road; free as 'architectural paint' at Veolia.

Local rules

  • Colorado Architectural Paint Stewardship Act: PaintCare program operational in Colorado since July 2015. Fee added to new paint at retail funds free statewide collection of latex, oil-based, stains, varnish.

Worth knowing

  • Rooney Road runs Wed and Sat by appointment only (303-316-6262). Latex/oil paint and used motor oil are free drop-offs. Curbside pickup is available for residents physically unable to drive ($40 co-pay).
  • Colorado is one of only a few states with a PaintCare program that offers free household door-to-door pickup for 10+ gallons, not just drop-off sites.

Denver County (HHW via Jefferson County / Rooney Road) household hazardous waste

Rooney Road Recycling Center (Jefferson County)

Jefferson County residents. Wed & Sat by appointment. Paint and motor oil free; per-item HHW fee.

(303) 269-9448 Official program page (opens in a new tab)

12 more Denver rules, not specific to this item
  • Colorado Electronic Recycling Jobs Act (SB12-133), effective July 1, 2013: landfill ban on TVs, computers, monitors, printers, copiers, fax machines, laptops, tablets, DVD players, VCRs, radios, and video game consoles. Landfills, transfer stations and haulers must post conspicuous notice.
  • Colorado HB22-1355 Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling (signed June 3, 2022): EPR for packaging and paper. Circular Action Alliance is the PRO; producers had to register by Oct 1, 2024. Free residential packaging recycling rolling out statewide by mid-2026.
  • Colorado SB25-163 Battery Stewardship Act (signed June 4, 2025): producers must join a battery stewardship organization beginning Aug 1, 2027; landfill disposal of covered batteries prohibited starting Jan 1, 2030.
  • Denver Pay-As-You-Throw ordinance (in effect since Jan 2023): volume-based trash pricing ($9.75/35-gal, $13.75/65-gal, $21.75/95-gal monthly), with weekly recycling and weekly compost included at no extra charge.
  • Denver 'Waste No More' ordinance (Initiated Ordinance 306, voter-approved 2022; enforcement begins September 2026): requires multifamily buildings (8+ units), non-residential buildings, food businesses, and events to provide recycling and composting alongside trash.
  • Colorado SB26-003 (2026 session): creates the first state-level EV propulsion-battery stewardship framework in the US — CDPHE will certify qualified recyclers by July 2027, with mandatory producer-funded collection starting Aug 1, 2028.
  • Denver County has no large permanent HHW facility of its own; the City refers most heavy HHW to Rooney Road Recycling Center in Jefferson County (151 South Rooney Road, Golden) or to Veolia in Henderson (Adams County). Eligibility and fees depend on whether your jurisdiction is a paying participant.
  • Denver Recycles weekly compost cart service is bundled into the PAYT fee citywide as of 2023 — one of the few US cities to make residential composting universal at no extra charge.
  • Denver Treecycle: free Christmas tree drop-off in early January; trees are mulched and the mulch is given back to residents free at the May Mulch Giveaway & Compost Sale. Trees left for regular trash pickup are NOT composted.
  • Best Buy in metro Denver still charges $29.99 to recycle CRT TVs/monitors (flat-panels free), reflecting the high handling cost of leaded glass after the e-waste ban.
  • Free statewide packaging recycling under HB22-1355 is being phased in — residents in covered jurisdictions get curbside recycling at no charge starting in mid-2026.
  • Denver's 'Waste No More' ordinance (voter-approved 2022) enforcement was delayed to September 2026, giving multifamily and commercial buildings extra time to comply with mandatory recycling and composting requirements.

Other Denver programs

  • Denver Recycles Household Hazardous Waste ProgramCity-run HHW program for Denver residents only. Offers free paint drop-off (via PaintCare partnership) and at-your-door HHW collection by appointment; battery disposal guidance. Call 3-1-1 for current scheduling/cost details.311 (or 720-913-1311)
  • PaintCare ColoradoFree year-round drop-off of latex/oil-based paint, primers, stains, sealers, shellac, and varnish at 220+ Colorado sites (60+ in metro Denver). 5 gallons per visit at most sites. Door-to-door household pickup for 10+ gallons in the Denver metro; free large-volume pickup for contractors with 100+ gallons. Funded by per-can fee added at retail.1-855-724-6809 (locator); 720-854-8722 (household pickup)
  • Veolia Colorado HHW Recycling Center (Henderson)Regional HHW center at 9131 E. 96th Ave, Henderson. Serves Adams and neighboring county residents by appointment. Architectural paint accepted free (PaintCare); other chemicals/electronics $30 facility fee + $1.66/lb. Accepts antifreeze, motor oil, batteries, propane, fire extinguishers, computers, monitors, TVs, printers.303-526-8155
  • Blue Star Recyclers (Denver)Nonprofit, e-Stewards and NAID AAA certified electronics recycler. Accepts TVs, CRTs, computers, printers, batteries, bulbs. Provides on-site/off-site hard-drive data destruction. Employs workers with autism and other disabilities.303-534-1667
  • PCs for People Colorado501(c)(3) with NAID AAA + R2 certifications. Free white-glove pickup for businesses with 15+ usable computers; drop-off for households. Refurbishes devices for low-income families; zero-landfill for non-refurb.
  • Call2Recycle (The Battery Network)National rechargeable-battery and cell-phone drop-off network. Free at Home Depot, Lowe's, Batteries Plus, Staples, and many municipal sites across metro Denver. Accepts Li-ion, NiCd, NiMH, lead acid (small sealed). Lithium terminals must be taped before drop-off.1-877-723-1297
  • GreenSheen Paint (Denver)Local PaintCare-affiliated paint recycler offering free residential paint pickup in Denver, Arapahoe, Adams, Broomfield, Douglas, El Paso, Teller, and Jefferson counties. Hosts periodic free paint-recycling events.720-854-8722
  • Eco-Cycle (Boulder/Longmont area, serving Denver metro)Nonprofit recycler operating CHaRM facilities and offering zero-waste resources, education, and hard-to-recycle collection events. Provides residential and commercial recycling services in the broader Denver metro area.303-444-6634
  • Denver Compost Collection ProgramWeekly curbside compost pick-up included with Pay-As-You-Throw trash service at no extra charge. Accepts food scraps, yard waste, compostable paper products. One of few US cities to make residential composting universal at no additional fee.
Where this came from: 13 sources

Common questions

About Oil Based Paint Disposal here

How much does Oil Based Paint disposal cost in this area?

1 of 3 facilities (33%) offer free disposal for Oil Based Paint. Facilities that may charge: Rooney Road Recycling Center, WM At Your Door (Mail-In Paint & HHW). Rooney Road Recycling Center: Paint and motor oil: free. Electronics: per-item fee. HHW: $0-$3 per item.. WM At Your Door (Mail-In Paint & HHW): Varies by kit size.

Do I need an appointment for Oil Based Paint drop-off?

2 facilities require an appointment: Rooney Road Recycling Center, WM At Your Door (Mail-In Paint & HHW). PaintCare Colorado — Sherwin-Williams / Kelly-Moore accept walk-ins.

Is pickup available for Oil Based Paint?

Yes, 1 facility offers pickup: WM At Your Door (Mail-In Paint & HHW).

Are there quantity limits for Oil Based Paint drop-off?

Some facilities have limits: PaintCare Colorado — Sherwin-Williams / Kelly-Moore: 5 gallons per visit; WM At Your Door (Mail-In Paint & HHW): 5 gallons per kit.

Why can't oil-based paint go in the trash?

Oil-based paint is classified as hazardous waste because it contains flammable solvents, heavy metals, and chemicals that can contaminate groundwater. It must be taken to a household hazardous waste facility for proper treatment.

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