Beginning January 1, 2022, PaintCare reduced the fee placed on sales of new paint products in DC

WASHINGTON, DC – December 20, 2021 – Beginning January 1, 2022, PaintCare, the nonprofit organization created by the paint industry to operate paint recycling programs, is implementing a reduction in the “PaintCare fee” placed on sales of new paint products in the District of Columbia.

The PaintCare fee is added to the purchase price of all eligible architectural paint products sold in the District. It is used to fund the District’s paint stewardship program, including providing a network of conveniently located drop-off sites, door-to-door pickups, and annual drop-off events; collection, transportation, and processing of paint; and public outreach and education. The same products that carry the fee are eligible to be dropped off for recycling at PaintCare’s drop-off sites and events.

PaintCare proposed the fee reduction as part of a revision to its program plan, submitted to the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) on August 23, 2021. DOEE approved the proposed plan and reduced fees on December 17, 2021. The new fee schedule will take effect on January 1, 2022.

The new fee amounts are shown in the chart below:

Container Size Current Fee New Fee
Jan. 1, 2022
Half pint or smaller $0.00 $0.00
Larger than half pint up to smaller than 1 gallon $0.45 $0.30
1 gallon up to 2 gallons $0.95 $0.70
Larger than 2 gallons up to 5 gallons $1.95 $1.60

Paint retailers in the District have been notified of the change and have been asked to adjust their point-of-sale systems starting January 1. Businesses, painting contractors, households, and anyone who purchases paint in the District should see the reduced fee on their paint purchase receipts starting on that date.

PaintCare provides a network of nine year-round drop-off sites in the District that accept leftover, unused house paint. Eight of the drop-off sites are conveniently located paint retailers that accept paint from the public during regular business hours, and the remaining site is the Fort Totten transfer station. To find a paint drop-off site in Washington, D.C., households and businesses can visit the PaintCare website: www.paintcare.org/states/district-of-columbia/. Households with 10 gallons or more of paint can request a free pickup here. Businesses and households with large volumes of paint equaling 100 or more gallons can request a large volume pickup here.

About PaintCare
PaintCare is committed to making it easy and convenient for residents and businesses to recycle postconsumer paint in states with paint stewardship laws. A nonprofit organization created by paint manufacturers, PaintCare sets up drop-off locations for leftover paint, arranges for recycling and proper disposal, and conducts public education. More than 150,000 gallons of paint, stain, and varnish have been managed by PaintCare’s program in the District of Columbia since its launch in 2016. For additional information, visit www.paintcare.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @WeRecyclePaint.