Dear Organizer,

We have been clearing out our storage room in the basement. There are cans of paint that are almost full and useable but we don’t have a use for them.  We were wondering if you know of a charity that might be interested in this type of donation?

Wooster Reader

Dear Reader:

Glad you are addressing that space in your home and great question!  Reusing and/or recycling paint goes a long way to help protect our environment.  Here is a donation site tip that I am glad to share and please spread the word.

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Wooster will accept cans of paint if they meet the following criteria:

-          Paint cans must be at least half full or better

-          Latex paint ONLY

-          Gallon / Quart/ Pint  sizes accepted

-          Paint must be usable. Meaning 5 years old or newer

-          No leaky or dented cans

-          No rust on cans

-          Aerosol cans without the spray nozzle are not accepted

Please check the cans carefully so that your donations are acceptable. Our ReStore Manager, Ron Scherzinger, suggests calling first if you are in doubt.  The ReStore is a wonderful place to shop and discover a variety of items that are priced right and may work in your building and renovation projects.  Readers please consider shopping there first before purchasing new. Your donations and purchases benefit Habitat for Humanity whose goal is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness by building adequate homes for others.  The store is located at 1451 Spruce Street Extension and is open weekdays 9:30am-4:30pm  and Saturdays 9am-3pm.

If some of your cans don’t meet the ReStore acceptable list, remember that the Wayne County Hazardous Waste Collection Days are coming up!

Thursday through Saturday, August 21-23, 2008.

Drop off your hazardous materials for no fee between

8am -4pm at

Wayne College/Old Orrville Airport

North Crown Hill Rd ,Orrville

For more info on what items are accepted visit www.timetorecycle.org

Joanna Keplar is the Education Specialist in the local office of the Stark-Tusc-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District.  She suggests that readers hold onto their non-donation paint cans and recycle them on the collection days in August.  If that is not possible, she offers this advice. For small amounts of latex paint left in a can, remove the lid and allow the paint to dry into a solid.  For oil based paint, remove lid and fill with kitty litter until all paint is absorbed.  Once these paints are in solid form, the cans may be added to your curbside trash.

Thanks to all who donate, re-use and recycle!