Paint Recycling in Ithaca, NY

The Ithaca ReUse Center on Elmira Rd and Sherwin-Williams on S Meadow St take paint free through PaintCare.

See all 4 options

Checked October 26, 2026 · Call before you go · How we check

4 ways to get rid of a paint in Ithaca

Tap an option to see the address, hours, cost and rules.

All 4 Free 3 Drop-off 2 Services & pickup 2

CurbCycle PickupPickup from your home · IthacaNo haulingWe recycle it for youFrom $70.00
How it works
Book online, set out your paint and we’ll pick it up and recycle it for you. You see your price before you book and pay only after pickup.
Book a pickup →
Ithaca Reuse Center and Office (214 Elmira Rd, Ithaca)Drop-off · 214 Elmira Rd, IthacaOpen to everyoneFree
Where
214 Elmira Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
Hours
Not listed. Call before you go.
Cost & rules
Paint
AcceptedFree (documented)
Limit: Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Full details & sources
Sherwin-Williams (722 S Meadow St, Ithaca)Drop-off · 722 S Meadow St, IthacaOpen to everyoneFree
Where
722 S Meadow St
Ithaca, NY 14850
Hours
Not listed. Call before you go.
Cost & rules
Paint
AcceptedFree (documented)
Limit: Limit: 5 Gallons per visit.
Full details & sources
PaintCare New York paint drop-off programNonprofit service · New YorkOpen to everyoneFree
How it works
Paint stewardship program under ECL Article 27, Title 20, overseen by DEC and running since May 2022. PaintCare lists 392 year-round drop-off sites where households, businesses and others can leave house paint, primers, stains, sealers and clear coatings at no charge. Free pickup is available for 100+ gallons.
Cost & rules
- House paint and primers (latex or oil-based), stains, deck and concrete sealers, and clear finishes such as varnish and shellac, in containers of 5 gallons or less.
- Free pickup for 100+ gallons through PaintCare's large volume pickup service.
Official page (opens in new tab)

Before you go

Note whether it’s latex (water-based) or oil-based; programs often treat them differently.
Keep paint in its original, labelled, closed container.
Ask about quantity limits per visit.

More about paint

New York rules

The PaintCare fee on new paint in New York is $0.00 (half pint or smaller), $0.45 (over a half pint to under 1 gallon), $0.95 (1-2 gallons) and $1.95 (over 2 up to 5 gallons). Source: PaintCare: New York (opens in new tab)
The PaintCare fee paid when buying new paint is not a tax or a deposit. Source: NYSDEC: Postconsumer Paint Collection Program (opens in new tab)

More New York rules (9)

DEC lists oil-based paints as an example of household hazardous waste. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
Architectural paint may be sold in New York only if the producer and its brands participate in the program and are registered with PaintCare. Source: NYSDEC: Postconsumer Paint Collection Program (opens in new tab)
Household hazardous wastes are household materials that would be regulated as hazardous waste if generated elsewhere; household-generated HHW is exempt from state and federal hazardous waste rules. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
Residents can take HHW to authorized HHW collection facilities or HHW collection events hosted by counties and municipalities; DEC has a map and list of permitted facilities. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
If there is no permitted facility nearby, check with your municipality for periodic one- or two-day HHW collection events. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
The state Environmental Protection Fund can pay up to 50 percent of the cost of municipal HHW collection programs. Source: NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab)
General Municipal Law 120-aa required every municipality, by September 1, 1992, to adopt a local law requiring source separation of recyclables (paper, glass, metals, plastics, yard waste) where economic markets exist. Source: NY General Municipal Law 120-AA: Source separation and segregation of recyclable or reuseable materials (opens in new tab)
DEC tells residents to check local guidance to see which items their program accepts. Source: NYSDEC: Recycling Resources (opens in new tab)
DEC lists New York collection programs for items that belong outside the recycling bin: beverage containers, carpet, cell phones, e-waste, lead-acid vehicle batteries, mercury thermostats, paint, pharmaceuticals, plastic film, rechargeable batteries and tires. Source: NYSDEC: Recycling and Composting (opens in new tab)

Where this information comes from (20)

Where this information comes from

Checked October 26, 2026

PaintCare: New York (opens in new tab) · PaintCare Inc.
- PaintCare New York drop-off sites are open to households, businesses, government agencies and others with leftover paint. Checked October 26, 2026.
- There is no charge to drop off paint at a PaintCare site. Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare sites accept house paint, primers, stains, sealers and clear coatings such as shellac and varnish. Checked October 26, 2026.
- For 100+ gallons, PaintCare offers a free large volume pickup service. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The PaintCare fee on new paint in New York is $0.00 (half pint or smaller), $0.45 (over a half pint to under 1 gallon), $0.95 (1-2 gallons) and $1.95 (over 2 up to 5 gallons). Checked October 26, 2026.
NYSDEC: Postconsumer Paint Collection Program (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- The program covers interior and exterior architectural coatings in containers of five gallons or less: latex or oil-based house paint and primers, stains, deck and concrete sealers and clear finishes. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The PaintCare fee paid when buying new paint is not a tax or a deposit. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Architectural paint may be sold in New York only if the producer and its brands participate in the program and are registered with PaintCare. Checked October 26, 2026.
NYSDEC: Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- DEC lists oil-based paints as an example of household hazardous waste. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Household hazardous wastes are household materials that would be regulated as hazardous waste if generated elsewhere; household-generated HHW is exempt from state and federal hazardous waste rules. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Residents can take HHW to authorized HHW collection facilities or HHW collection events hosted by counties and municipalities; DEC has a map and list of permitted facilities. Checked October 26, 2026.
- If there is no permitted facility nearby, check with your municipality for periodic one- or two-day HHW collection events. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The state Environmental Protection Fund can pay up to 50 percent of the cost of municipal HHW collection programs. Checked October 26, 2026.
NY General Municipal Law 120-AA: Source separation and segregation of recyclable or reuseable materials (opens in new tab) · New York State Senate (Open Legislation)
- General Municipal Law 120-aa required every municipality, by September 1, 1992, to adopt a local law requiring source separation of recyclables (paper, glass, metals, plastics, yard waste) where economic markets exist. Checked October 26, 2026.
NYSDEC: Recycling Resources (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- DEC tells residents to check local guidance to see which items their program accepts. Checked October 26, 2026.
NYSDEC: Recycling and Composting (opens in new tab) · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- DEC lists New York collection programs for items that belong outside the recycling bin: beverage containers, carpet, cell phones, e-waste, lead-acid vehicle batteries, mercury thermostats, paint, pharmaceuticals, plastic film, rechargeable batteries and tires. Checked October 26, 2026.
PaintCare drop-off site locator data (sites.json) (opens in new tab) · PaintCare
- PaintCare lists Ithaca Reuse Center and Office at 214 Elmira Rd, Ithaca 14850 as a paint drop-off site (Households and VSQG Businesses; Limit: 5 gallons per visit.) Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare lists this site’s limit as: Limit: 5 gallons per visit. Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare lists Sherwin-Williams at 722 S Meadow St, Ithaca 14850 as a paint drop-off site (Households and Businesses in New York; Limit: 5 Gallons per visit.) Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare lists this site’s limit as: Limit: 5 Gallons per visit. Checked October 26, 2026.

“Checked” means we read the official page on that date. Things can change, so call before you go.

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