Arlington Heights to host free latex paint recycling event

EarthPaint and Groot are partnering to help residents dispose of old paint.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, the village of Arlington Heights will host a Latex Paint Recycling Event from 9 a.m. to noon at the Arlington Racetrack, 2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights.

Residents from Arlington Heights are eligible to recycle up to 10 containers of paint at no charge (fees apply for more than 10 containers). Proof of residency is required upon entry. Latex paint will not be accepted from non-Arlington Heights residents, businesses, schools or institutions.

EarthPaint, a nonprofit recycled paint manufacturer that employs disabled adults, will collect and properly recycle all latex paint from the event.

"We all know what it's like to look around the basement or garage and see stacks of old paint cans. There's a reason they're still there, and you can't throw them in the garbage," says Chris McCarthy, founder of EarthPaint, which is based in Wood Dale. "We take your old, unwanted paint and turn it into something great."

There are billions of containers of old paint taking up space in American homes. Homeowners are discouraged from throwing them in the garbage because they can leak toxins into groundwater, and it is time consuming to mix gravel in with the paint to ensure it stays solid. EarthPaint provides a solution.

EarthPaint takes consumers' old latex paint and recycles it into high-quality paint. What's more, it's sold at a fraction of the price. EarthPaint's sustainable product works for interior and exterior projects, and counts homeowners, municipalities, park districts and paint professionals among its satisfied customers.

While EarthPaint does good for the planet, it also works to do good for its community, employing adults with disabilities who otherwise might not have a job.

"For the first time in their lives, many of our teammates have meaningful work. We give them the opportunity to learn a trade, to have fun and develop skills that can be used in and out of the workplace," McCarthy says.

EarthPaint's recycled paint can be purchased at various retail locations, as well as its Wood Dale facility, 365 E. Irving Park Road.

For information, visit EarthPaint.org.