Coming Soon: Connecticut’s PaintCare Program starts in July!

Connecticut Program
 

Connecticut is the third state to pass paint stewardship legislation. This model legislation ensures environmentally responsible end-of-life management for leftover architectural paint while relieving state and local governments of the economic burden of post-consumer paint management. PaintCare will implement a paint stewardship program in Connecticut by the summer of 2013.

Contents

  1. Consumers of Paint
  2. Retailers of Paint
  3. HHW Programs & Transfer Stations
  4. Law and Oversight Agency
  5. Program Plan
  6. Manufacturers of Paint and Coatings

 

1. Consumers of Paint


Drop-off Sites

PaintCare Inc. a non-profit organization established by the American Coatings Association to implement California’s Paint Stewardship Law is establishing drop-off sites for postconsumer (leftover) paint at retailers and other sites throughout Connecticut starting July 1, 2013.


What Paint Products are Accepted?

PaintCare "Program Products" include interior and exterior architectural coatings sold in containers of 5 gallons or less. In general we accept all house paint and primers, stains, sealers, and clear coatings (such as shellac and varnish) but we do not accept aerosols (spray cans), solvents, and products intended for industrial or non-architectural use. Please consult the following detailed list to find out what will be accepted when the program starts:

Fees

To fund this program, PaintCare Recovery Fees will be added to the purchase price of architectural paints and coatings sold in Connecticut as of July 1, 2013. The fees will be paid to PaintCare by paint manufacturers, then passed down to retailers and eventually consumers. When you buy paint in Connecticut, you will probably see a line item called “PaintCare Recovery Fee” on your receipt or invoice for each container. These fees will be used to fund all aspects of the paint stewardship program, including collection, transportation, recycling, public outreach, and program administration:

Half pint or less   $ 0.00
More than half pint to 1 less than 1 gallon   $ 0.35
1 gallon   $ 0.75
More than 1 gallon to 5 gallons   $ 1.60


Publications

The following documents provide additional information about the PaintCare program:

  • Trade Painter Factsheet (What Trade Painters Need to Know). This factsheet explains the program with details of particular interest to painting contractors. It is also available in Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish (click language for PDF).

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2. Retailers of Paint

Responsibilities of All Connecticut Retailers

The Connecticut Paint Stewardship Law will require retailers of paint to (a) include the PaintCare Recovery Fee in the sale price of program products, (b) only sell products registered with the program. (Retailers may also volunteer to become a drop-off site – see factsheet below). More details are provided here:

a. Add Assessment Fee: Manufacturers must include the PaintCare Recovery Fees (fees will proposed on March 1, 2013) to their wholesale price of each container of paint. Retailers must ensure these fees are passed down to the consumer.

b. Sell Registered Brands: Once the program begins, retailers must make sure they do not sell unregistered architectural paint brands. Retailers will be able to check manufacturers and brands from lists which will be posted here.

c. Volunteer to be a paint drop off site: To learn more, please watch our Retailer Drop-Off Site Video or read our factsheet listed below.


Printed Materials for All Retailers

Point-of-Sale (POS) Materials will be available to retailers and facilities at no charge. All Connecticut paint retailers will be mailed a starting packet of materials prior to the Connecticut program launch and will be able to order additional quantities on an ongoing basis. If you are interested in jointly developing print based materials (“co-branding”) so that materials have both your logo and PaintCare’s logo, please contact PaintCare at cchase@paint.org.


Downloadable Publications for Retailers

The following materials in PDF format are available for downloading:

  • Retailer Factsheet: How to Become a Drop-off Site Retailers may volunteer to be a paint drop-off site and accept paint from residents and certain businesses in their community. To learn more about what is involved in becoming a drop-off site, please read this factsheet. If you would like to be a drop-off site, please fill out and send us the Interest Form.


Webinars

PaintCare held a number of retail-focused webinars in January to provide an overview of the program, review the responsibility of retailers under the law, and provide retailers an opportunity to ask questions. Slides from the webinar are available here. Additional webinars will be held in June. Please check back at this site for dates and registration information.

 

3. HHW Programs & Transfer Stations

Partnering with PaintCare

PaintCare welcomes partnerships with municipal agencies, especially those that operate household hazardous waste collection programs, landfills and transfer stations. PaintCare covers the cost of paint storage bins, paint transportation and recycling, and public outreach and education. There is no monetary compensation for operations or labor costs associated with serving as a drop-off site. To learn more, please see the following factsheet and interest form.

 

4. Law and Oversight Agency

Connecticut’s PaintCare Program is a result of Public Act 11-24 passed in 2011 and signed by Governor Malloy. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is the agency overseeing implementation of the new law

 

5. Program Plan

Per statute, PaintCare submitted a Program Plan to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) by March 1, 2013. The Program Plan provides details on how postconsumer paint is to be collected, transported, recycled and processed at its end-of-life, as well as how public education and outreach will be used to promote proper purchasing, using up remaining paint, and properly recycling or disposing of unwanted paint. After receiving input from DEEP, the revised plan was submitted on April 25 and approved on May 1.

 

6. Manufacturers of Paint and Coatings

Registering Your Company and Brands/Products

Manufacturers of architectural coatings will fulfill obligations of the Connecticut Paint Stewardship law if they participate in the PaintCare Program. The PaintCare program is funded by a per-container assessment fee (“PaintCare Recovery Fee”) paid by architectural paint manufacturers to PaintCare based on their sales in Connecticut. The fees fund all aspects of the required program. The following documents provide additional information of interest to manufacturers about the Connecticut Paint Stewardship Law and PaintCare program:


Lists of Manufacturers and Brands

PaintCare maintains a list of registered manufacturers and brands. Brands not registered with the PaintCare program may not be sold in California. Retailers use these lists to verify that they are only selling registered architectural coatings. CalRecycle uses these lists to conduct compliance audits and enforcement.