Paint Water Disposal?

[Aggie_Ama]

I painted my study today (first timer) and have a bucket of water that I rinsed the brush into. I don't know what to do with the water though. Can it go down the drain or no? I know it can't go in the yard.

[KnottedYet]

latex?

I've dumped it down the drain of my utility sink, and I've dumped it in the dirt.

[tulip]

I'm painting my bedroom in the new house tomorrow in preparation for moving on Friday. I've moved (and painted) alot in my time. I'll just dump in the back yard on the dirt. Keeping it on site seems reasonable. It's latex paint.

[Irulan]

you might want to check with your county/city gov. ANYTHING you pour on the ground eventually works its way into wells, drinking water etc. In some areas, improper disposal can result in fines, much less contaminated soil and or water.

A quick search on home hazardous waste indicates latex paint products should be allowed to dry out ( evaporate, this is ok because there are no volatile organics) and then put in the trash

From King County ( Seattle) waste disposal
http://www.metrokc.gov/DNRP/swd/faci...t-disposal.asp

[tulip]

Not to diss' the environmental authorities, but I seriously doubt that dumping a bucket of paint water in my backyard will bring the law down on me. There are no wells in the city and the particles will get filtered by the soil and grass before it reaches the stormwater system. In fact, it's so dry here that the stormwater system won't see any water that is backyard because the soil will drink it up.

Thanks for the info on letting it evaporate. I actually did buy a teflon paint tray. You just let the paint dry in it and peel it off and put it in the trash. It'll take a long time for a bucket of water to evaporate though, but perhaps I'll give it a try if I don't need the bucket for anything else.

[sundial]

Tulip, let the water separate from the paint, pour off the water, and then wipe out the paint and toss it in the trash.

[Irulan]

Not to diss' the environmental authorities, but I seriously doubt that dumping a bucket of paint water in my backyard will bring the law down on me. There are no wells in the city and the particles will get filtered by the soil and grass before it reaches the stormwater system. In fact, it's so dry here that the stormwater system won't see any water that is backyard because the soil will drink it up.

Thanks for the info on letting it evaporate. I actually did buy a teflon paint tray. You just let the paint dry in it and peel it off and put it in the trash. It'll take a long time for a bucket of water to evaporate though, but perhaps I'll give it a try if I don't need the bucket for anything else.

ah, the old "it won't matter if I do it" argument. And the old "I can't get fined if I don't get caught" argument. I understand that small time polluters aren't a law enforcement priority, and the idea that some people have that one little bit can't possibly hurt. I feel pretty strongly that one SHOULD care what they are adding to the soil and water. We've been in the groundwater/environmental services industry since 1985 and have our own company doing ground water monitoring and clean up. You'd be surprised what can travel through soil and into the groundwater. Ground water travels: what enters the soil below you can dilute to ppm and travel for miles. But whatever - it's your neighborhood.

[mudmucker]

I painted my study today (first timer) and have a bucket of water that I rinsed the brush into. I don't know what to do with the water though. Can it go down the drain or no? I know it can't go in the yard.

Whatever you do, if you have a septic system, don't put it down the sink. Maybe once if you follow sundial's advice but don't make a habit of it. If you have municipal sewer then it'll be alright but after letting it settle. I have a heavily wooded area that I'll pour it into, hundreds of feet from the nearest well, including my own. The soil will filter.

You could also do what sundial suggests and filter the liquid after it settles, through a rag or heavy paper towels, let that latex dry and toss it.