Paint Renew Program
Click here to see 2011 Paint ReNew Report
Click Here for the 2010 Paint Renew Report
Across the nation, thousands of gallons of old paint are discarded into trashcans and down drains each year. It is also stored in many sheds, garages, and basements. Often these materials set for years awaiting disposal, with their owners unsure as to how to proceed. Although latex paint does not pose a significant toxic threat, its associated products, such as oil-based paints, varnish, paint thinner, turpentine, etc. have very limited disposal options.
MMWA is striving to provide member residents with an outlet for properly managing existing old paint as well as educating them as to how to self-manage these materials in the future. The overall goal is to remove waste paint from households and manage it properly, with reuse and recycling the primary outcomes.
Phase I of the waste paint collection program was funded in 2004 through the Saginaw County Solid Waste Management Fund and resulted in the establishment of three collection locations for residential drop-off of unwanted latex paint. There were three Initial partners of the Latex Lock Up Household Paint Recycling program: Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Saginaw, the government offices of a suburban community and of a rural community. A contracted collection vendor was selected who had outlets for paint remanufacturing, as well as for fuel blending. All paint collected in the Latex Lock Up Household Paint Recycling program was remanufactured for reuse.
Phase II, the Paint ReNew Household Paint Recycling program, initially implemented in April 2005 and operational to date, focuses on providing more convenient and accessible options for residential drop-off of unwanted paint by working with area paint/hardware retailers and expanding the types of paint accepted.
In April 2005, with the addition of seven Paint Partners to the three original Latex Lock Up Partners, the Paint ReNew program was launched. With a total of 10 residential paint drop-off locations, the program also expanded to include the acceptance of both latex and oil-based paint. The Paint ReNew locations were selected based on geographic location in order to provide access to both urban/suburban communities and rural communities.
Over the past three years, a reduction of paint collected through the program has been achieved, from 51,278 pounds in 2005 to 16,381 pounds in 2007. This was accomplished by instituting a “minimum half full can” acceptance guideline and a focus on residential education on self-management of latex paint in conjunction with existing Paint Partners. Additionally, an expanded partnership with ReStore Saginaw channels all paint from the other Paint ReNew partners through their operation to capture usable paint for resale, thereby reducing the amount of paint sent out for remanufacturing or fuel blending.
The Paint ReNew program provides residents with options for disposal of unwanted paint as well as educate residents with alternative handling and reuse options through MMWA Household Paint Handling Guide, distributed at point-of-sale through retail Paint Partner locations. Other educational and marketing tools include:
- A “Recycle Paint Here” poster with basic guidelines for paint acceptance designed for display in Paint Partners business/office and local municipal office
- Shelf talkers on paint displays and shelves promoting the MMWA Household Paint Handling Guide
- A list of paint solidifying products to encourage retail Paint Partners to carry a product for retail sale
From 2005 through 2009, the Paint ReNew program has diverted over 142,680 pounds of latex and oil-based paint from being landfilled, an estimated equivalent nearly 22,000 gallons.
