Paint disposal in Charleston, SC by county and town

In Charleston County, take leftover liquid paint to Zone 8, the household hazardous waste area, at a staffed convenience center. It's free with a photo ID showing a county address, but Zone 8 doesn't take empty or dried cans. Berkeley County has no paint program, so it says to harden paint with kitty litter or mortar mix and put it in the trash. Dorchester County lists no paint program, so call its Solid Waste office at (843) 832-0070.

Charleston County: take it to Zone 8

Charleston County is the only one of the three counties that lists a drop-off for liquid paint. Each staffed, full-service convenience center has a Zone 8 for household hazardous waste. It takes:

old paint
pesticides and herbicides
pool cleaners
rust removers

Zone 8 doesn't take empty paint cans or cans of dried paint. Drop-off is free for residents. Bring a government photo ID with a Charleston County address, or a photo ID plus a utility or tax bill with a matching county address. Most full-service centers are open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 AM to 6 PM. See Charleston County convenience centers for the full list.

The Signal Point Road center on James Island isn't full service. James Island PSD sends residents there for electronics, motor oil and batteries. The County's notes on Signal Point Road don't say either way about paint, so call (843) 720-7111 before you take paint there.

Pro tip don't dry out paint you plan to take to Zone 8. The County's rules flyer says Zone 8 takes old paint but not empty or dried cans, so bring it while it's still liquid.

Town rules for paint at the curb

Most towns in Charleston County won't take wet paint at the curb.

Where you live	What the town says
City of Charleston	Hazardous waste isn't accepted in residential trash. The City says Charleston County handles hazardous waste.
North Charleston	Paint and paint containers are on the list of hazardous materials it doesn't collect
Mount Pleasant	"Wet paint" is not collected. The Town doesn't say what to do with dried paint, so call (843) 849-2022
James Island (James Island PSD)	Paint isn't collected unless it's fully dried with the lid off
Sullivan's Island	Paint is a hazardous material the homeowner must dispose of
Isle of Palms	Hazardous waste isn't accepted
Kiawah Island	Hazardous waste can't go to the curb. The Town points residents to Bees Ferry, with proof of residency

If you're on James Island and served by James Island PSD, you have two choices: dry the paint completely and leave the lid off for pickup, or take it to Zone 8 at a full-service County center while it's still liquid.

Berkeley County: harden it

Berkeley County Water & Sanitation says it has no paint recycling program. Its advice:

Donate paint you can still use.
Otherwise, harden it with kitty litter or mortar mix and put it in your regular trash.

The Berkeley County Landfill takes no liquids. One wrinkle: the City of Hanahan's page lists paint cans among what the Luken Road convenience center takes, which doesn't match the county's own page. Call Berkeley County at (843) 572-4400 before you take paint to Luken Road. See Berkeley County convenience centers.

Town rules in Berkeley County:

Goose Creek: paint goes out with household garbage only once it's fully hardened with sand, kitty litter or wood chips. Set it beside your cart, not in it. Leftover paint from contractors isn't accepted.
Hanahan: paint is on the list of things the City doesn't collect at the curb.
Moncks Corner: the Town's pages don't mention paint. Call Town Hall at 843-719-7900.

Dorchester County and Summerville

Dorchester County's pages list drop-offs for antifreeze, motor oil and filters, oil and gas mixture, and cooking oil, but no paint program. Call the Solid Waste office at (843) 832-0070, Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM, to ask what to do with it. See Dorchester County convenience sites.

Summerville doesn't take paint at the curb. Its page points residents to the Dorchester or Berkeley County convenience sites for paint, but neither county lists a paint drop-off. Call Summerville Public Works at 843-851-4225 or the Dorchester County Solid Waste office before you load it up.

Can you donate leftover paint?

Not to the usual places.

Dorchester Habitat ReStore in Summerville doesn't accept paint.
Berkeley County Habitat ReStore in Goose Creek doesn't accept chemicals and paints.
The Salvation Army's pickup service doesn't take paint or chemicals.

Berkeley County suggests donating usable paint but doesn't name a place.

Clearing out more than paint?

If paint is part of a bigger garage or move-out cleanout, the rest of the load may be easier. Most towns pick up furniture and appliances at the curb, and our guide to old appliance disposal in Charleston covers refrigerators, washers and stoves. If you're hiring a junk removal crew, ask ahead whether it takes paint, since the public options have strict rules.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I drop off old paint in Charleston County?

At Zone 8 of a staffed Charleston County convenience center, such as Bees Ferry Road. Zone 8 takes old paint, pesticides, pool chemicals and other household hazardous waste, free for residents with a photo ID showing a county address. It doesn't take empty or dried paint cans.

Does Berkeley County take paint at its convenience centers?

Berkeley County says it has no paint recycling program. It suggests donating paint you can still use, or hardening it with kitty litter or mortar mix and putting it in your regular trash. Its landfill takes no liquids. Hanahan's own page lists paint cans at the Luken Road center, so if you want to drop off paint there, call Berkeley County first at (843) 572-4400.

Can I put paint in the trash in Goose Creek?

Only once it's fully hardened with sand, kitty litter or wood chips. Set the hardened paint beside your cart, not in it. Goose Creek doesn't take leftover paint from contractors.

Does Mount Pleasant pick up dried paint cans?

The Town lists "wet paint" among the things it doesn't collect, but it doesn't say what to do with dried paint. Call Public Services at (843) 849-2022 before you set any out.

Will Habitat for Humanity take leftover paint?

The Dorchester and Berkeley County ReStores both say they don't accept paint. The Salvation Army's pickup service doesn't take paint either.

Bottom line

Charleston County residents have the simplest path: keep the paint liquid and take it to Zone 8. In Berkeley County and most towns, the paint has to be fully hardened before it goes in the trash. If your town or county doesn't say, call before you put paint out, since most towns don't collect wet paint.

How do we know this?

We check every rule, address and hour on this page against the official source, and re-check on a schedule. Spot something out of date? Tell us.