If you have additional questions about our BC Paint program, contact us at 1-877-592-2972, ext. 405

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Accepted Products


In British Columbia, there are more than 200 recycling locations where you can drop off your leftover paint for free.

At 100 of these locations, you can also drop off flammable liquids and pesticides through British Columbia’s household hazardous waste (HHW) recycling program. Be sure to use our recycling locator to determine which locations accept HHW, as not all do.

Find a recycling location

When dropping off your paint remember:

  • Recycling locations may have a limit to how many paint cans they can accept at once. If you have more than 10, it is advisable to call ahead to ensure they can be accepted
  • Paint must be in its original container, with the labels intact, and tightly sealed
  • Do not mix different types of paint products together. Our recycling locations can’t accept paint which has been mixed with other products
  • You can bring up to 10 containers of paint or 50 spray cans at a time (no larger than 25 litres for paint or 680g / 24oz for paint aerosols)

Household Paint

We accept many types of paint, as well as empty paint containers.

  • Interior and exterior water-based (latex, acrylic) and oil-based (alkyd, enamel) household paint
  • Undercoat and primers (e.g. metal, wood, etc.)
  • Empty containers of accepted products with original label (and original lid if liquid inside)
  • Anti-rust paint
  • Block filler
  • Concrete and masonry paint
  • Deck and floor paint or coatings (including elastomeric)
  • Drywall paint
  • Marine paint (unless registered under Pest Control Products Act)
  • Melamine, stain and shellac
  • Stain blocking paint
  • Stucco paint
  • Swimming pool paint (only single component)
  • Textured paint
  • Varnish and urethane (only single component)
  • Wood finishing oil
  • Wood preservatives (unless registered under Pest Control Products Act)
  • Wood, masonry, driveway sealer, and water repellant (not tar based or bitumen based)

Aerosol Paint

All types of aerosol paint, including:

  • Automotive
  • Craft
  • Industrial

The following types of paint and paint related products are excluded from the program, including the empty containers.

NOTE: Some of these products are accepted by our household hazardous waste recycling program in British Columbia. Visit the British Columbia HHW page for full details. For information on products that are not accepted in the BC Paint and HHW program, please contact The Recycling Council of British Columbia here: https://rcbc.ca/contact/.

  • Unidentifiable, unknown, unlabelled, and non-original containers
  • Containers with poor integrity (e.g. badly rusted, leaking, bulging, improperly sealed)
  • Brushes, rags, and rollers
  • Caulking compound, epoxies, glues, and adhesives
  • Colourants and tints
  • Deck cleaners
  • Household cleaners
  • Non-aerosol automotive paint
  • Non-aerosol craft and artistic paint
  • Non-aerosol industrial paints and finishes (e.g. baked-on, heat resistant, etc.)
  • Non-aerosol traffic or line marking paint
  • Paint for skating rinks and curling club floors
  • Paint in glass containers
  • Paint mixed with other products
  • Resins
  • Paint thinner, mineral spirits or solvents
  • Patching stucco and spackling compounds
  • Products registered as a pesticide under the Pest Control Products Act (has a P.C.P. registration number on label)
  • Resins
  • Roof patch and repair
  • Tar or tar/bitumen based products
  • Two-part or component paints containing catalyst or activator
  • Waxes, polishes, sealants, and other household products

Find a Recycling Location