Paint recycling program a first-year success in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has announced that the state’s paint recycling program has collected more than 240,000 gallons of leftover paint from its residents.

PaintCare launched the program in Connecticut in July 2013. PaintCare is a nonprofit organization established by the American Coatings Association, a trade association for paint manufacturers based in Washington, D.C., to implement paint stewardship programs on behalf of the paint manufacturers in states that have passed paint stewardship laws.

PaintCare also runs programs in California, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. The organization says it is planning paint recycling programs in Maine and Colorado to begin in summer 2015.

Connection DEEP says the program, which was required by a state law and supported by the paint industry, makes it much more convenient for residents, painting contractors and other businesses to recycle unused and leftover paint.
 
The program has a network of more than 130 new drop-off sites that take back old paint. Most drop-off sites are paint retailers that accept paint from the public during their regular business hours. Another 25 sites for paint recycling are located at transfer stations, and a few are household hazardous waste programs that accept paint from their own residents, according to Connecticut DEEP.

The state agency explains that the program is funded by a nominal fee on new paint sales that began in July 2013: 35 cents for pints and quarts, 75 cents for 1 gallon cans and $1.60 for larger containers up to 5 gallons. The fee funds paint collection, transportation, recycling, retailer training, and promotion in Connecticut. Although all retailers must include the fee on their sales, participation as a drop-off site is optional, Connecticut DEEP says.
 
“Connecticut’s paint recycling program had a very smooth start and achieved outstanding results in its first year, clearly demonstrating the great potential that exists for manufacturers to help divert their products from the waste stream and make recycling much more convenient,” says Connecticut DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee.

Klee adds, “We also have a well-designed program for electronic waste and will soon have one for old, unwanted mattresses. All of these new programs contribute to our overall effort to double the state’s recycling rate.”

Connecticut DEEP says a welcome change for state residents and businesses is that they no longer need to dry out latex paint in order to dispose of it. Prior to partnering with PaintCare, most government programs in Connecticut advised residents to dry and dispose of latex paint. Latex paint it is not considered hazardous waste and is allowed in the trash once it is dry, Connecticut DEEP notes.
 
“Drying out paint takes time and can be messy. People prefer to get rid of paint without any hassle,” says Marjaneh Zarrehparvar, executive director of PaintCare.
 
In addition to Connecticut residents and paint professionals, participating paint retailers have supported PaintCare over the first year of operation, according to the state agency.
 
“Participating retailers see the program as an extension of service to their customers and community that some of them have wanted to offer for years. PaintCare makes it easy for retailers to participate by providing training, arranging for the paint to be picked up and recycled, and promoting the program to the public,” adds Zarrehparvar.

To view Connecticut DEEP’s first-year overview of its paint recycling program, visit http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/waste_management_and_disposal/solid_waste_management_plan/oct_2014/lh_-_swac_2014-10-28.pdf.

For more information on PaintCare and to find a local drop-off site, visit www.paintcare.org.