The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop What to do with old paint?

It was a sunny day out and my wife decided I should clean out the garage to make room for her to park inside. :rolleyes:

Found a couple of boxes labeled "Auto Paint"

Stuff all the way back from 1986 -
Imron paint, activator, reducer
Urethane Enamel paint and reducer
Fisheye eliminator
All kinds of different cans of filler primer, sealer, epoxy primer, etc.

What do I do with this stuff? Can I use it to paint the insides of fenders for rust protection? I have about 3 gallons of different kinds of paint. Some unopened.

Should I just open them up and let them dry out and then dispose in the garbage? I know what my dad would have done . . . not going there.

if you can't use it yourself [watch that Imron!!] or find someone else who can use it, check w/ county gov re hazardous waste disposal - don't send it to the landfill even dried unless it's latex - if you\'re Tacoma/Pierce county or King county there are possibilities - other areas should have ways to deal w/ it too, as WA has a fairly good rep for hazwaste handling [which is what "solvent" base paints are]

Bill

i would use it on something un important first to see if it all good first then go from there

I've got an old unopened can of International Harvester branded motor truck paint, in yellow. I haven't had the guts to open it but it still sloshes. I'm tempted to paint my wheelbarrow with it.

Ken if you use the Imron make sure you have a fresh air suit or mask. Imron contain Isosyanates (sp?) they are nasty on the nervous system.

If the paints haven't been used or reduced they should still be good. I would find someone with a paint shaker and shake the daylights out of them. Then use on some stuff that you are not too concerned about.

or donate to autobody tech school is a good idea too.

Hmmmm . . . I shot my first '49 with Imron when I was about 20 years old. I was ADD before it was in fashion - after painting that truck I settled down quite a bit - perhaps I have stumbled on a cure?

Ken I used to sell Imron. Sold it to alot of Industrial companies, Airplane owners and some Marine shops. One day one of the guys who has bought Imron long before I started there comes in and says, "Man that Imron sure makes me sick after I paint with it." So I asked him If he was using the poper equiptment. Gloves, Tyvek suit and fresh air mask/ hood. He just looks at me and says " hell I am just using the same charcoal filter respriator that I always use"

He was getting so sick after painting that he was taking 2 to 3 days off. Vomiting, dizzy spells. He was showing all the signs of early nurilogical damage due to over exposure. If it has isosyinates in it better use a fresh air suite/ mask or pay someone that is used to working with this type of paint. Read the label this stuff can Kill you!