PaintCare programs are funded by a fee (referred to as the PaintCare fee) which is applied to the purchase price of new paint sold in the state. Once the program launches, the fee is paid to PaintCare by paint manufacturers. This fee is then added to the wholesale and retail purchase price of paint, passing the cost of managing postconsumer paint to everyone who buys paint. You may see a line item on your receipt or invoice for each container of paint you purchase.
There will be no charge for dropping off paint at a PaintCare drop-off site.
The PaintCare fee is not a tax; it does not go to the state to operate the program. The PaintCare fee is also not a deposit; you don’t get it back when you drop off paint–a common misunderstanding.
Fees fund all aspects of the paint stewardship program. This includes paint collection, transportation, recycling, public outreach, and program administration, and to manage “legacy” paint, material that has been accumulating in homes and businesses from before the program started.
Although fees for New York have not yet been determined (pending approval by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation), they are expected to be similar to other states with a PaintCare program. The fees are based on container size and vary across the programs:
Container Size | Fee |
Small containers (e.g., pints & quarts) | $0.35–$0.49 |
Mid-size containers (e.g., 1-2 gallons) | $0.75–$0.99 |
Larger sizes up to 5 gallons | $1.60–$1.99 |
Important Note:
It is expected that contractors will pass the fees on to their customers in order to recoup the fees they pay on the product. When estimating jobs, contractors should take these fees into account by checking with your suppliers to make sure the quotes for paint products include the fees. You should also let your customers know that you will be including these fees in your quotes.