Paint stewardship saves local government millions of dollars a year

"Wasted paint was about 50% of the volume and cost of household hazardous waste (HHW) programs in California," until paint stewardship legislation passed requiring the paint industry to fund and operate a collection system for unwanted paints. This has led to "better economics and more collection opportunity," according to a July 5, 2018 article in Waste 360. "Jurisdictions are saving millions of dollars a year in collection and in education to administer the program. Santa Clara County alone saves over $300,000 a year." 

PaintCare, the nonprofit created by paint manufacturers, offers 1,775 year-round drop-off sites at hazardous waste facilities and retail sites in the eight U.S. states with legislation and Washington, D.C. More than 27 million gallons of paint have been collected since the program began in 2009. As PaintCare participants, HHWs no longer pay for paint storage bins, transportation, recycling or proper disposal. The owner of a paint recycling business said the "logistics of getting paint to our facility has been vastly improved."

Washington remains the only state on the west coast without such a manufacturer-run paint stewardship program; British Columbia's program began in 1994. The Washington legislature has considered but not passed paint legislation since 2012.