Recycling Articles : Recycling Paint & Oil

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Paint, paintbrushes, car oil and oil filters can be very damaging to the environment and allowing them to leak into our waterways could be disastrous. As such, pouring paint and oil down the drain is a very bad idea; these are things that can be recycled or reused with relative ease and so certainly should be.

Unwanted paints and varnishes can be donated to friends and family who are redecorating, to builders and painter/decorators or possibly even to some charity shops. However, if this is not possible for you, the container or packaging should carry instructions for recycling or disposal of the substance.

Engine oil is another matter altogether and civic amenity sites will usually take care of things such as these. Ask your local garage how they dispose of oil for more indepth instructions or call the waste and sanitary division of your local council.

Remember that even a small amount of oil can damage the environment. If your local council does not help then searching online for an oil bank near you is as easy as a few clicks, as well as contacting the “Oil Care Campaign”. However, remember that oil banks are for engine oil only and not cooking oil, spirits, paints or other chemicals.

Cooking oil (vegetable oil) can often be recycled in order to create biofuel, a cheaper and more environmentally friendly car fuel, and other types of cooking oils can be used to make soaps.

Another way to reduce the impact that buying paints and oils has on the environment is to buy them in bulk. As long as you use all of the products eventually, this decreases packaging and so decreases waste.

Of course, looking for ecofriendly paints where possible is also, always a good decision. Other options include contacting communityrepaint.org.uk who collect unused paint and distribute it amongst those who cannot afford to purchase it.

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