The town is urging residents and businesses to stop dumping paint down drains after the Sewer Department noticed a “large uptick” in the amount of paint being discovered in the municipal sewer system.
As reported by Nantucket Current news
Sewer Department head David Gray told the Nantucket Current, “his staff is finding paint in the pump stations almost daily. Oil-based paints are hazardous waste and should never be put down [any type of] drains. They must be disposed of properly at a hazardous waste collection event. Although latex paint is non-hazardous, it can still harbor biocides to inhibit mildew, acrylics and vinyls, crystalline silica, and various additives and emulsifiers harmful to the environment. To dispose of latex paint, mix the can of latex paint with kitty litter, let harden and dispose of cans at the landfill in the metal bin.”
The next Hazardous Waste Collection Events are on Saturday, October 29, and December 10, 2022, at the DPW.
Read more from the Town of Nantucket on Hazardous Waste material that is accepted.