I have more than a dozen rusty, half empty containers of paint, stain, sealer, and chemicals pyramided under my kitchen sink. It’s just a matter of time before they spontaneously combust. I knew that Chicago must have a facility specializing in hazardous materials disposal, but I had no idea where it was located. Turns out the city’s only household chemicals recycling center is at 1150 N. North Branch Street (yes, that’s North North Branch Street) and accepts most common household chemicals, including: Oil and Latex Paints Paint Thinners and Other Solvents Spray Paint Lawn Chemicals Drain Cleaners and Cleaning Products Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs The center is for residential use only, so sorry businesses. Check the City of Chicago Website for a complete list of what is and is not accepted. photo by Artbandito In addition to this, I was surprised to find that the facility also features a Paint Exchange Room ( Free Paint Room! ) where residents can drop off usable, but unwanted paint. Anyone can take the

paint, free of charge, even if they are not recycling anything. That’s a great idea and an awesome resource for cash-strapped DIY’ers, but "usable" is a pretty broad term. That said, while I’m sure this is more of a gamble than hardware store Oops Paint, the paint is free. Anyway, what do you have to lose? Just test it first and if it’s bad, bring it back. The facility (including the free paint room) is open year round, excluding holidays: Every Tuesday from 7am – 12pm Every Thursday from 2pm – 7pm the first Saturday of every month from 8am – 3pm Drop-offs are only accepted at these times, and I’m assuming abandoning your unwanted chemicals on their doorstep is generally frowned upon. Oh, and in case you were wondering, this site previously housed the Department of Streets and Sanitation’s animal incinerator until 1998, then served as storage for the city’s sewer vacuum trucks until 2005. Nice.

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Safely Disposing of Hazardous Household Chemicals in Chicago