Paint Recycling in Watertown, NY

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.
• City of Watertown: Seasonal On Demand Bulk Pickup (opens in new tab) · City of Watertown Department of Public Works
  • Not accepted: vehicular items (tires, batteries), bedding, clothing, household hazardous waste, paints or solvents, demolition or construction debris. Checked October 26, 2026.
• PaintCare drop-off site locator data (sites.json) (opens in new tab) · PaintCare
  • PaintCare lists Sherwin-Williams at 491 Factory St, Watertown 13601 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.
  • PaintCare lists Whites Lumber at 231 N Rutland St, Watertown 13601 as a paint drop-off site (Households and Businesses in New York; Limit: 25 gallons per visit.) Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare lists this site’s limit as: Limit: 25 gallons per visit. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare lists Whites Paint Store at 902 Arsenal St, Watertown 13601 as a paint drop-off site (Households and Businesses in New York; Limit: 25 gallons per visit.) Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare lists this site’s limit as: Limit: 25 gallons per visit. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • PaintCare lists Stratton Hardware at 1336 Washington St, Watertown 13601 as a paint drop-off site (Households and 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.

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