- Waste such as paint, paintbrushes, car oil and oil filters have to be carefully disposed of, as they can be very damaging to the environment.
- Don't pour oil or paint down the drain.
- Donate unwanted paints and varnishes, as others can reuse them.
- Look for disposal or recycling instructions on the packaging of the product.
- Civic amenity sites often take engine oil for recycling.
- Buy products in bulk whenever possible to reduce packaging waste.
- Use eco-friendly alternatives whenever possible.
Reusing Paint
Community RePaint is a network of paint reuse schemes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The purpose of the project is to collect leftover reusable paint from householders, and redistribute it to those who need paint but cannot afford it. This site will tell you more about the scheme and help you find the nearest RePaint scheme to you.
Recycling Engine Oil
It is important that you recycle your engine oil correctly as even a small amount of oil can cause damage to the environment as well as making a noticable mess.
The Oil Care Campaign has been set up by the Environment Agency, in association with SEPA in Scotland and Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) in Northern Ireland, to try and reduce pollution from oil and to help people dispose of their engine oil safely and correctly. On the Oilcare site there is a oil bank locator where you can type in your postcode and find the nearest place to take your used engine oil to for safe disposal.
Remember: UK oil banks are for waste engine oil, not cooking oil, thinners, white spirit, paint or any other chemical.
