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Paint Disposal · Nashville, TN

Oil Based Paint Disposal in Nashville

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 Nashville

2 free · 1 fee-based

Facility Cost Open now Notes
Metro Nashville HHW Collection(615) 862-8631 Free
for Davidson County residents		 Mon-Sat 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Walk-in Metro Nashville's main HHW facility adjacent to East Convenience Center.
Metro Nashville HHW — Paint Disposal(615) 862-8631 Free
for Davidson County residents		 Mon-Sat 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Walk-in Metro Nashville's HHW program accepts all paint types.
Paid or fee-based options
LoadUp(844) 239-7711 Ask when you book
Upfront online pricing		 Hours not published Appointment Pickup avail. Full-service paint pickup service in Nashville. Online booking with upfront pricing.

How it works in Nashville

Oil-based paints and stains are accepted free at the East Convenience Center (943A Doctor Richard G. Adams Dr) and the Ezell Pike Convenience Center (3254 Ezell Pk) with Davidson County ID, within the 15-gallon/100-pound HHW limit per visit. TN's BOPAE program requires counties to accept paint but distinguishes oil-based (HHW) from latex (not HHW).

Local rules

  • Tennessee BOPAE Program (T.C.A. § 68-211-907): requires each county convenience center to accept Batteries, Oil, Paint, Antifreeze, and Electronics from households. Davidson County complies by offering separate HHW (East/Ezell Pike) and e-waste (East/Ezell/Omohundro) drop-offs.

Worth knowing

  • Tennessee is not a PaintCare state — no paint stewardship program operates in TN, so all paint disposal is handled through Metro's HHW facility or by drying-and-trashing latex paint.
  • Latex (water-based) paint is NOT accepted at Nashville HHW sites — residents must dry it out (cat litter, sawdust, paint hardener, or by leaving lid off) and then dispose with regular trash.
  • The TDEC mobile HHW collection events that visit TN counties twice yearly explicitly stopped taking paint, electronics, and alkaline batteries — counties must handle these BOPAE materials year-round locally.

Davidson County household hazardous waste

Metro Nashville HHW Collection

Free HHW disposal for Davidson County residents.

(615) 862-8631 Official program page (opens in a new tab)

16 more Nashville rules, not specific to this item
  • Metro Code 10.20.095: effective July 1, 2015, electronic waste may not be placed in solid waste containers nor collected with solid waste in Davidson County. Yard waste and corrugated cardboard are also banned from curbside trash under the same section.
  • Tennessee Electronics Recycling Act of 2011: requires covered electronics manufacturers to register with TDEC and provide collection/recycling opportunities, but does NOT establish a statewide landfill ban for residential e-waste.
  • Tennessee Solid Waste Management Rule 0400-11-01: business/institutional e-scrap typically qualifies as 'special waste' requiring a TDEC special-waste application before landfill disposal.
  • Tennessee statute (T.C.A. Title 68, Ch. 211): each county must provide at least one site to receive waste tires, used motor oil/fluids, and lead-acid batteries.
  • T.C.A. § 68-211-800 et seq. (Tennessee Waste Tire Act): prohibits landfilling of whole waste tires and requires each county to provide a waste tire collection site; establishes a waste tire fund financed by a $0.70/tire fee on new tire sales.
  • T.C.A. § 68-211-907(d): lead-acid batteries are banned from disposal in Tennessee landfills, incinerators, and waste-to-energy facilities; retailers selling lead-acid batteries must accept used ones for recycling per state law.
  • Tennessee Universal Waste Rule (T.C.A. § 68-212-401): regulates the management of universal wastes including mercury-containing lamps, recalled pesticides, and certain batteries to streamline disposal and encourage recycling.
  • Tennessee has no statewide e-waste landfill ban as of 2026 — the prohibition on tossing electronics in Davidson County comes from local Metro Code 10.20.095, not state law.
  • Davidson County imposes a 15-gallons/100-pounds-per-visit HHW limit and a one-computer-system-per-month limit at convenience centers.
  • TVs over 80 inches wide are not accepted at Nashville convenience centers.
  • Post-1996 alkaline batteries (with no mercury) are considered non-hazardous in TN and can legally go in household trash, though recycling is still preferred.
  • Three of four Metro convenience centers (East, Ezell Pike, Omohundro) accept e-waste; only two (East and Ezell Pike) accept HHW; Anderson Lane accepts neither.
  • Nashville convenience-center credit/debit transactions carry a 2.8% fee ($1.95 minimum).
  • Tennessee hosts major EV-battery manufacturing (Envision AESC in Smyrna for Nissan LEAF; Ford's BlueOval City), and Redwood Materials has a recycling agreement with Envision AESC — but there is no consumer EV-battery drop-off program; EV batteries go through dealerships.
  • Nashville Metro publishes useful recycling right guides and a Waste Wizard online tool to help residents determine which bin items go in.
  • The Anderson Lane Convenience Center (Madison) accepts trash, recycling, bulky waste, and foam but NOT e-waste or HHW — a frequent point of confusion for north Davidson County residents.

Other Nashville programs

  • Omohundro Convenience Center (e-waste only, no HHW)Electronics drop-off (TVs, computers, printers, etc.); also handles construction/demolition material for a fee. Does not accept HHW chemicals.
  • Ezell Pike Convenience Center (HHW + e-waste)Full-service HHW facility accepting paints, chemicals, pesticides, automotive fluids, and electronics at 3254 Ezell Pk. Davidson County ID required. 15-gallon/100-pound HHW limit per visit. Tue-Sat 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
  • East Convenience Center (HHW + e-waste)Full-service HHW facility accepting paints, chemicals, pesticides, automotive fluids, and electronics at 943A Doctor Richard G. Adams Dr. Davidson County ID required. 15-gallon/100-pound HHW limit per visit. Tue-Sat 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
  • Tennessee Mobile HHW Collection Service (TDEC)Spring (late March-early June) and fall (post-Labor Day-early November) one-day collections in TN counties for paints, chemicals, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs. Does NOT accept paint, electronics, or alkaline batteries — counties must handle these BOPAE materials year-round locally.
  • Call2Recycle drop-off networkRechargeable and lithium-ion battery drop-offs at participating retailers (Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples, Best Buy, Batteries Plus) and at the Ezell Pike Convenience Center.
  • Metro Council district shredding eventsFree document shredding plus bulk-item drop-off, periodically hosted by individual council districts (often co-hosted with the Metro Beautification and Environment Commission).
  • Batteries Plus Bulbs — Nashville locationsFree recycling for rechargeable batteries, single-use batteries, and fluorescent light bulbs/tubes at all Nashville-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling; some disposal fees may apply for CRTs and large electronics.615-331-1551
  • Nashville Foam Recycling Drop-Off (convenience centers)Free expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam drop-off at all four Metro convenience centers. Accepts clean white foam blocks, packing peanuts (bagged separately), and food trays. Must be clean — no food residue, tape, labels, or colored foam.
  • Tennessee Waste Tire Program — Davidson County siteEach Tennessee county must provide at least one waste tire collection site. Davidson County residents can drop off up to 10 tires per year at Metro convenience centers (fees apply for quantities over the limit). TDEC enforces the Waste Tire Act under T.C.A. 68-211-800.
  • Tennessee Environmental Council Recycling Roundup eventsPeriodic community recycling roundup events in the Nashville area organized by TEC, accepting hard-to-recycle items including tires, mattresses, scrap metal, Styrofoam, and electronics. Typically held in spring and fall; dates vary annually.
Where this came from: 14 sources

Common questions

About Oil Based Paint Disposal here

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

2 of 3 facilities (67%) offer free disposal for Oil Based Paint. Facilities that may charge: LoadUp. LoadUp: Upfront online pricing.

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

1 facility requires an appointment: LoadUp. Metro Nashville HHW Collection, Metro Nashville HHW — Paint Disposal accept walk-ins.

Is pickup available for Oil Based Paint?

Yes, 1 facility offers pickup: LoadUp.

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

Some facilities have limits: Metro Nashville HHW Collection: 15 gallons / 100 lbs; Metro Nashville HHW — Paint Disposal: 15 gallons.

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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