Since 2014, PaintCare has helped households and businesses in Rhode Island recycle nearly 600,000 gallons of leftover paint
WASHINGTON, DC – May 11, 2022 – Since its launch in June 2014, PaintCare, the nonprofit industry-led stewardship organization, has collected and processed nearly 450,000 gallons of postconsumer (leftover) architectural paint in Rhode Island, with 92,811 gallons collected from January 1–December 31, 2021.
The PaintCare program in Rhode Island boasts a network of 28 year-round drop-off sites that accept leftover unused paint. The majority of drop-off sites (24) are conveniently located paint retailers or hardware stores that volunteer to accept paint from the public during regular business hours, and the remaining sites are transfer stations. The program is exceeding convenience targets, with nearly one hundred percent of Rhode Island residents within 15 miles of a year-round drop-off site.
PaintCare is a nonprofit organization created by the paint industry through the American Coatings Association (ACA) to manage leftover paint in states that have enacted paint stewardship laws. By working with centrally located paint retail stores and locally managed government facilities, the program makes it easy to recycle leftover paint, stain, and varnish. PaintCare also offers free on-site pickups to businesses, organizations, and households with 100 gallons of paint or more to recycle.
The program is funded by a fee on new paint sales: 35 cents for pints and quarts, 75 cents for one and two gallon cans, and $1.60 for larger containers up to five gallons. The fee funds paint collection, transportation, recycling, retailer training, and public education in Rhode Island. All retailers must include the fee on their paint sales.
A large part of the program’s success in Rhode Island has been due to the support that PaintCare has received from participating retailers, paint professionals, state legislators, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, and households who are choosing to do their part.
For more information on PaintCare and to find a local drop-off site, please visit www.paintcare.org. Find complete annual reports on PaintCare’s Program in Rhode Island at https://www.paintcare.org/rhode-island-official-docs/.
Click the link below to view a one-page infographic highlighting the successes from the most recent reporting period for the PaintCare Program in Rhode Island (January to December 2021). Rhode Island paint retailers are encouraged to print a copy of this infographic and post it for staff and the public at your business or organization.
About PaintCare in Rhode Island
PaintCare is committed to making it easy and convenient for households, businesses, and institutions to recycle leftover 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. Nearly 600,000 gallons of paint, stain, and varnish have been managed by PaintCare’s Rhode Island program since its launch in 2014. For additional information, visit www.paintcare.org.