NEW YORK, N.Y. (January, 22, 2025) – PaintCare, a national nonprofit organization that makes it easy to recycle leftover paint, stain, and varnish, is pleased to share its support of play:groundNYC, an innovative organization dedicated to creating inclusive and reimagined play spaces in New York City. The paint stewardship program provided nearly 155 gallons of leftover paint for free to enhance play:groundNYC’s creative play and educational programming.
The source of the paint was PaintCare’s large volume pickup service which provides pickups of 100 or more gallons of leftover paint to households, schools, and businesses. Whenever possible, PaintCare staff members try to redirect high quality paint collected at its pickups and year-round drop-off sites to those who can use it immediately (reuse). Reusing paint is a cost-effective, efficient method of reducing waste since it eliminates the need for further transportation and processing.
The reuse paint will be used by children and teens, ages 5 to 19, at the play:groundNYC’s flagship location on Governors Island, known as The Yard, the city’s only adventure playground using reused materials to inspire imaginative, unstructured play.
“We’re happy to support play:groundNYC. It’s a unique organization here in the city and they are helping to transform the way children play and interact with their environment,” said Andrew Radin, New York Program Manager, PaintCare. “Together, we are encouraging the creativity of young people, while also demonstrating the importance of sustainability and stewardship. We can’t wait to see what the children at the Yard create using the paint.”
play:groundNYC is focused on transforming play without the restrictions of a traditional playground. The organization produces unique spaces for children to feel safe in taking emotional, physical, and social risks in their play. The paint is set to be used at the Yard’s space this spring. Open from noon–4 p.m. every weekend from March 29 until November 16, The Yard is a kids-only space in which the organization supplies young people with loose parts materials to use as part of their play. Be it building, exploring, imagining, or destroying, the common thread is self direction.
The organization has heightened interest in creating ecologically friendly environments featuring reuse materials including paint, lumber, cardboard boxes, fabric, markers, string, tape, costumes, crates, and more. The Yard provides tools like nails, hammers, and saws which are to be used under the supervision of play:groundNYC playworkers.
“By utilizing reuse paint, and other valuable resources, we’re able to demonstrate to children, teens and adults how everyday materials can be repurposed to create meaningful, imaginative play. The paint made available through PaintCare’s coordination will allow us to further provide children with opportunities to create and be inspired,” said Yoni Kallai, Co-Founder and Interim Director, play:groundNYC. “It’s the continued help and engagement from organizations like PaintCare, and others, that have enabled us to welcome thousands of kids to the Yard for free each year.”
Created by paint companies through the American Coatings Association (ACA), PaintCare was established to help manage leftover paint in states that enact paint stewardship laws. Following New York passing its stewardship law in 2019, the organization now has more than 350 recycling drop-off sites across New York State, including over 60 within New York City’s five-boroughs, and has supported more than 400 community-wide paint drop-off events across the state. Over two million gallons of leftover paint have been managed in New York State since the program’s launch in May 2022.
PaintCare determines the best use of the leftover paint allowing the paint to be reused, recycled into new paint, or disposed of properly, minimizing environmental impact. To learn more about PaintCare and find a local paint drop-off site, visit: www.paintcare.org/.
About play:groundNYC
Since 2016, play:groundNYC has welcomed more than 60,000 young people to its play spaces with the mission of transforming the city through play. The organization’s playworkers support children’s play at The Yard and through partnerships with community organizations in diverse neighborhoods across New York City. play:groundNYC is reimagining the urban environment as a place for all children to play, create and explore. This is done by providing spaces for young people to play, providing professional development, school programming and training a new generation of playworkers. The young people that play:groundNYC interact with are invited to direct their own play, building and destroying structures, using tools and interacting with nature to help develop their confidence, skills, and independence. To learn more, visit: www.play-ground.nyc
About PaintCare
PaintCare is committed to making it easy and convenient for households, businesses, and institutions to recycle postconsumer (leftover) paint in states with paint stewardship laws. A nonprofit organization created by paint companies, PaintCare sets up drop-off locations for leftover paint, arranges for recycling and proper disposal, and conducts public education. More than 75 million gallons of paint, stain, and varnish have been managed by PaintCare in 10 states and the District of Columbia. For additional information, visit www.paintcare.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram .