Dive Brief:
- Connecticut’s paint recycling program got underway in July of 2013. Since then, over 240,000 gallons of paint has been collected for recycling.
- PaintCare, a non-profit that represents the paint industry, partnered with the state to launch the program. The organization handles the stewardship program on behalf of manufacturers in Connecticut and other states that have enacted the own recycling laws.
- Funding for the initiative comes from small fees collected from consumers who purchase new paint products, and is used to pay for the collection, transportation, recycling, promotion, and training at retail outlets.
Dive Insight:
Connecticut has been implementing a slew of recycling and sustainability programs. Connecticut Department & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Rob Klee said that, in addition to the paint recycling initiative, the state has established an effective program for handling e-waste, and a project that focuses on collecting used mattresses is in the works.
"All of these new programs contribute to our overall effort to double the state’s recycling rate," said Klee.
PaintCare says paint recycling programs are slated to be launched in Colorado and Maine in the summer of 2015. California, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Vermont are already involved in such efforts.