How to Properly Dispose of Nail Polish

Approximately 2.4 billion bottles of nail polish are purchased globally each year, with the U.S. accounting for over 600 million of those sales. Most American consumers own between eight and twelve bottles of nail polish. When these colors are no longer desired, the majority of these bottles cannot be disposed of in regular trash or recycling.

 

Nail polish is classified as household hazardous waste (HHW) due to its composition of solvents, plasticizers, and resins, similar to oil-based paints and pesticides. State and local regulations, informed by federal law, dictate the appropriate disposal methods. Fortunately, by 2026, more brand take-back initiatives and beauty recycling programs are providing improved solutions compared to relying on infrequent HHW collection events.

Why That Little Bottle Counts as Hazardous Waste

A typical bottle of nail polish is composed of around 70% solvents, such as ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, and occasionally toluene, combined with film-formers, plasticizers, and pigments. These components are flammable, and some plasticizers are associated with reproductive harm. Once dried, nail polish resembles a thin layer of car paint. According to the U.S. EPA, household hazardous waste encompasses products that are ignitable, corrosive, reactive, or toxic. Nail polish’s flammability and toxicity lead many local programs, from Sonoma County to the City of London, to classify it as hazardous waste.

 

Three nail polish ingredients that cause the most concern are known as the toxic trio: toluene, which can impact development and the nervous system; formaldehyde, a recognized cancer risk; and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), which can affect reproduction. The European Union prohibited DBP in cosmetics in 2004. While the U.S. lacks a comparable federal ban, many major brands have altered their formulas. In 2023, California implemented regulations on toluene in nail products.

 

Reformulating does not always eliminate all harmful chemicals. A 2026 study published in Science of the Total Environment, utilizing tests from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, examined 178 nail products of varying types. Researchers identified 29 different chemicals, including toluene, formaldehyde, and methyl methacrylate. In 92% of the products, chemicals not listed on the label were found. Products for children contained the same chemical levels as those for adults.

 

Another study by California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control in 2012 revealed that 10 out of 12 products labeled as “toluene-free” still contained toluene, with levels ranging from 42 ppm to 177,000 ppm. Five out of seven products claiming to be free of the toxic trio actually contained at least one of those chemicals. Labels such as “3-free,” “5-free,” and “10-free” are now commonplace. These labels are not federally regulated and often do not align with lab test findings.

 

Gel polish presents its own chemical challenges. In September 2025, the EU banned trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO), a substance that aids gel polish in hardening under UV light, as it was classified as a category 1B reproductive toxicant. This ban prohibits both the sale and professional use of gels containing TPO in all 27 EU countries. However, TPO remains legal in the U.S.

 

What Not to Do With Old Polish

Never dispose of leftover polish or remover by pouring it down the sink, tub, or storm drain. The solvents can damage septic systems, compromise wastewater treatment plants, and eventually contaminate rivers or lakes. Avoid placing liquid polish in regular trash or recycling as it can leak, harming sanitation workers or contaminating other materials. Additionally, do not attempt to burn polish to hasten drying, as the solvents are highly flammable and the fumes are toxic.

 

Programs Worth Knowing About

Several brands and salon companies now offer specialized take-back programs for nail polish. Most of these initiatives accept bottles from any brand, not just their own. Although they do not cover every U.S. zip code and often require shipping, they are preferable to discarding polish in the landfill.

 

Côte Beauty Recycling Program. The Los Angeles-based clean-beauty brand collaborates with PACT Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to hard-to-recycle beauty packaging, to accept nail polish bottles from any brand by mail. Côte advises consumers not to rinse the bottles, as the polish is repurposed into industrial paint. Ship bottles to Côte Beauty Recycling Program, 11601 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1750, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Participants receive loyalty discounts on future purchases.

 

Zoya Earth Month Exchange. Zoya, a New Jersey-based 10-free nail polish brand, conducts an annual nail polish exchange each year around Earth Day. Recycling customers can order Zoya shades at a discount and mail in their unwanted polishes from any brand. Zoya disposes of the returned bottles through a commercial hazardous-waste handler and, in certain years, donates usable polishes to local causes. The exchange is only active during the promotion window, making timing crucial.

 

Tenoverten. The clean-beauty nail salon Tenoverten partners with Chemwise, a chemical recycling and disposal company, to accept old polish bottles of any brand at its salon locations. Chemwise stores the collected polish in temperature-controlled facilities and consolidates it into batches that are reformulated as paint for industrial equipment. Bottles, caps, and brushes are recovered separately.

 

PACT Collective beauty drop-offs. PACT Collective, established in 2021 by Credo Beauty and MOB Beauty, now operates over 3,300 drop-off bins at retailers including Ulta Beauty (approximately 1,350 U.S. stores), Credo Beauty, Sephora, and partner brand locations. It is important to note that PACT bins accept hard-to-recycle beauty packaging — pumps, tubes, caps, lipstick bullets — but explicitly exclude liquid nail polish and polish remover due to their hazardous nature. Empty, rinsed polish bottles may or may not be accepted depending on local regulations. For full bottles, use Côte’s mail-in program (which utilizes PACT infrastructure on the back end) or a municipal HHW facility.

 

Beauty packaging is notoriously difficult to recycle. PACT reports that over 120 billion beauty packages are produced worldwide annually, yet only about 9% are recycled. Many are too small, composed of mixed materials, or too contaminated for standard recycling. Liquid nail polish is particularly challenging to recycle, emphasizing the importance of special brand programs.

The Local HHW Route Still Works

If a mail-in program is not suitable, every U.S. county offers some form of household hazardous waste handling, although accessibility varies greatly. Some counties maintain year-round permanent facilities, others conduct one-day collection events two or three times annually, and rural areas may require appointments or shared regional sites. Earth911’s recycling search directory is the most comprehensive U.S. resource, listing over 100,000 collection points across 350+ material categories. Enter a ZIP code and “nail polish” to locate the nearest option.

 

Before visiting, it is advisable to call ahead. HHW facilities typically restrict drop-offs to residents of the county or city funding them and often limit the quantity accepted per visit. Some charge a nominal fee, but many do not. Ensure polish is in its original bottle, securely sealed, and place bottles in a sturdy box or bag to prevent leaks. While there, consider combining the trip with other items like leftover paint, motor oil, garden chemicals, expired medications, and old batteries, which are usually accepted during the same visit.

Reducing the Waste Upstream

Discarding polish should be a last resort. A more effective approach is to purchase less polish and choose formulas with fewer hazardous ingredients from the outset. Earth911 provides a guide to safer nail polish alternatives, including water-based and lower-chemical brands. A few trends are noteworthy.

 

Mini-bottle subscriptions and seasonal color trends prompt consumers to purchase and discard polish more frequently. In the U.S., around 600 million bottles are sold each year, despite most users already owning eight to twelve bottles. This demand exacerbates waste generation.

 

Water-based polishes contain significantly fewer solvents and are easier to remove without acetone, but they do not last as long and cannot fully replace gel polish. “10-free” or higher polishes are preferable to regular ones, but DTSC studies caution that labels do not provide the full picture. Ingredients may vary by brand, and unwanted chemicals can persist even after reformulation.

 

Nail polish remover requires the same care as nail polish. Most removers containing acetone are flammable and also classified as hazardous waste. Allow cotton balls and pads soaked with remover to dry completely in a well-ventilated area before disposal. Any remaining remover should be brought to the HHW facility along with old polish.

What You Can Do

• See if a brand-run program works for you. Côte Beauty accepts bottles from any brand by mail year-round. Zoya offers an Earth Month exchange in April. Tenoverten salons welcome walk-in drop-offs at their locations.
• Find the closest HHW collection site. Use Earth911’s recycling search to locate a household hazardous waste facility or event. Call in advance to verify residency requirements and quantity limits.
• Try to buy less polish in the first place. With ten bottles already in your collection, acquiring a new color is more likely to contribute to waste than serve as a useful addition. Use up existing bottles before opening new ones.
• Be skeptical when reading labels. Terms like “non-toxic,” “clean,” and “X-free” lack federal definitions. The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database provides hazard scores for individual products and offers more detailed insights than marketing claims.
• Do not pour polish or remover down the drain. Solvents can damage wastewater treatment systems, harm septic fields, and pollute rivers or lakes.

Editor’s Note: Originally published on February 21, 2015, this article was updated in May 2026.