Paint Recycling in Arlington Heights, IL

Matt's Ace Hardware on W. Campbell St. is a PaintCare drop-off site for latex and oil-based paint. Arlington Heights is also in SWANCC's $81 at-home pickup for oil-based paint.

See all 5 options

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

5 ways to get rid of a paint in Arlington Heights

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

All 5 Free 3 Drop-off 1 Services & pickup 4

CurbCycle PickupPickup from your home · Arlington HeightsNo 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 →
Matts Ace Hardware (PaintCare drop-off site)Drop-off · 1705 W Campbell St, Arlington HeightsFree
Where
1705 W Campbell St
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Hours
Not listed. Call before you go.
Cost & rules
Paint
AcceptedFree (documented)
Latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in original, labeled containers up to 5 gallons; no aerosols or leaking or empty containers. Call ahead during business hours.
Limit: 5 gallons per visit
Full details & sources
PaintCare Illinois paint drop-off programNonprofit service · IllinoisOpen to everyoneFree
How it works
Paint stewardship program under the Illinois Paint Stewardship Act. PaintCare runs year-round drop-off sites across Illinois, mostly at paint and hardware stores and HHW sites, where anyone can leave house paint, primers, stains, sealers and varnish at no charge. Find sites with the PaintCare locator.
Cost & rules
- House paint, primers, stains, sealers and clear coatings such as shellac and varnish. No aerosol spray paint.
- Contact the drop-off site to confirm hours and how much paint it will take.
Official page (opens in new tab)
Illinois EPA household hazardous waste collectionsState program · IllinoisIllinois residentsConditions applyFree
How it works
Illinois EPA funds five long-term HHW collection sites (Naperville, Rockford, Chicago Goose Island, Gurnee and Wood River) and free one-day Saturday collections each spring and fall, co-sponsored by local communities.
Cost & rules
- Oil-based paint only; latex paint is not accepted at state-sponsored collection events.
- One-day events need pre-registration for a time slot.
Official page (opens in new tab)
SWANCC At-Home Household Hazardous Waste Pick-Up (Clean Harbors)County service · Cook CountyArlington Heights residentsConditions apply$81/visit
How it works
Fee-based, scheduled at-home pickup of household hazardous waste run by SWANCC with Clean Harbors for residents of opted-in member communities, including Arlington Heights and Skokie. Residents pay $81 per pickup in advance; call Clean Harbors at 866-466-5060 and register at least 10 days before a scheduled pickup date.
Cost & rules
Fees
At-home pickup $81 per visit
- Oil-based paints only; latex paint is not accepted.
Official page (opens in new tab)

Fees
At-home pickup	$81 per visit

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

Illinois rules

The Paint Stewardship Act (P.A. 103-372, effective January 1, 2024) requires makers of architectural paint sold at retail in Illinois to run a postconsumer paint stewardship program. Source: Illinois EPA: Paint (household hazardous waste) (opens in new tab)
Illinois EPA approved PaintCare's Illinois program plan on October 28, 2025. Source: PaintCare: Illinois paint recycling and drop-off locations (opens in new tab)

More Illinois rules (6)

The program is funded by a PaintCare fee added to the price of each container of new paint sold in Illinois: $0.45 for containers larger than a half pint and under 1 gallon, $0.95 for 1 to 2 gallons, and $1.95 for over 2 up to 5 gallons. Source: PaintCare: Illinois paint recycling and drop-off locations (opens in new tab)
Illinois EPA says homeowners' paint waste is not a special waste. Source: Illinois EPA: Paint (waste disposal fact sheet) (opens in new tab)
A properly permitted sanitary landfill may accept a homeowner's paint waste for disposal. Source: Illinois EPA: Paint (waste disposal fact sheet) (opens in new tab)
Oil-based paints are accepted at state-sponsored household hazardous waste collection events; latex paints are not. Source: Illinois EPA: Household Waste Disposal (opens in new tab)
Under the Illinois Paint Stewardship Act, residents can drop off leftover paint at more than 300 year-round PaintCare drop-off sites. Source: Illinois EPA: Paint (household hazardous waste) (opens in new tab)
Illinois EPA says state and federal law allow household hazardous waste to go out with residential garbage, but taking it to an HHW collection is more protective. Source: Illinois EPA: Household Hazardous Wastes (opens in new tab)

Where this information comes from (25)

Where this information comes from

Checked October 26, 2026

Illinois EPA: Paint (household hazardous waste) (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Under the Illinois Paint Stewardship Act, residents can drop off leftover paint at more than 300 year-round PaintCare drop-off sites. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The Paint Stewardship Act (P.A. 103-372, effective January 1, 2024) requires makers of architectural paint sold at retail in Illinois to run a postconsumer paint stewardship program. Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare drop-off sites do not accept aerosols (spray paint). Checked October 26, 2026.
- Illinois EPA asks people to contact PaintCare drop-off sites to confirm hours and the type and amount of paint they will take. Checked October 26, 2026.
PaintCare: Illinois paint recycling and drop-off locations (opens in new tab) · PaintCare Inc.
- Illinois EPA approved PaintCare's Illinois program plan on October 28, 2025. Checked October 26, 2026.
- The program is funded by a PaintCare fee added to the price of each container of new paint sold in Illinois: $0.45 for containers larger than a half pint and under 1 gallon, $0.95 for 1 to 2 gallons, and $1.95 for over 2 up to 5 gallons. Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare runs drop-off sites throughout Illinois where the public can take unwanted paint for recycling. Checked October 26, 2026.
- PaintCare Illinois drop-off sites are open to households, businesses, government agencies and others with leftover paint. Checked October 26, 2026.
- There is no charge for dropping off paint at a PaintCare drop-off 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.
Illinois EPA: Paint (waste disposal fact sheet) (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Illinois EPA says homeowners' paint waste is not a special waste. Checked October 26, 2026.
- A properly permitted sanitary landfill may accept a homeowner's paint waste for disposal. Checked October 26, 2026.
Illinois EPA: Household Waste Disposal (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Oil-based paints are accepted at state-sponsored household hazardous waste collection events; latex paints are not. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Oil-based paints are accepted at state-sponsored HHW collection events; latex paints are not. Checked October 26, 2026.
Illinois EPA: Household Hazardous Wastes (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Illinois EPA says state and federal law allow household hazardous waste to go out with residential garbage, but taking it to an HHW collection is more protective. Checked October 26, 2026.
- HHW collections funded by Illinois EPA are free to the public. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Explosives, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals and business wastes are not accepted. Checked October 26, 2026.
Illinois EPA: HHW Collection Events and Long-Term Collection Locations (opens in new tab) · Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Each fall 2026 one-day collection event is open to all Illinois residents. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Pre-registration is required for all fall 2026 collection events, which gives residents set time slots. Checked October 26, 2026.
Paint (opens in new tab) · Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)
- SWANCC says the Illinois PaintCare program (began December 1, 2025) sets up free drop-off sites, and residents are not charged to drop off acceptable paint at participating locations. Checked October 26, 2026.
PaintCare: drop-off site locator data (sites.json) (opens in new tab) · PaintCare Inc.
- PaintCare drop-off sites like this one accept latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons; no aerosols, unlabeled, leaking or empty containers. Limit 5 gallons per visit. Checked October 26, 2026.
Chemicals & HHW (opens in new tab) · Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)
- SWANCC's fee-based at-home HHW pickup with Clean Harbors is available to residents of Arlington Heights, Glencoe, Lincolnwood, Skokie, Wheeling and Winnetka. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Residents pay $81 to Clean Harbors before the pickup date to reserve a slot. Checked October 26, 2026.
Recycling Guidelines (opens in new tab) · Village of Skokie
- Skokie's at-home HHW pickup (Village, SWANCC and Clean Harbors) takes household cleaners, lawn and pool chemicals, oil-based paints (not latex), automotive fluids, bulbs and batteries; pickups are limited to 70 pounds and cost $81. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Pick-ups are limited to a maximum of 70 pounds. 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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