A new paint recycling program that began December 1, in Illinois, enables households and businesses to recycle leftover paint, stain, and varnish conveniently and sustainably. The program is operated by PaintCare, a nonprofit organization created by paint companies through the American Coatings Association (ACA) to manage leftover paint in states that have enacted paint stewardship laws. A collection network of over 250 drop-off sites across Illinois are anticipated, which is achieved through partnerships with paint and hardware retail stores and local government facilities.
“We’re excited to bring PaintCare to Illinois, giving families and businesses, easy, year-round options for recycling leftover paint,” said Michael W. Johnson, CEO at the American Coatings Association. “This program showcases the coatings industry’s commitment to innovative, sustainable solutions for our communities. Our goal is to make it easy and convenient to ‘recycle the rest,’ creating a responsible solution for our industry that benefits everyone who uses paint and the environment.”
“Illinois paint and hardware retailers, along with local government facilities, are essential partners in this effort,” said Ross Dudzik, Illinois Program Manager at PaintCare. “Their willingness to volunteer space and serve as convenient drop-off locations is truly the backbone of this program. We look forward to welcoming additional partners and helping communities across Illinois recover and recycle hundreds of thousands of gallons of leftover paint.”
The paint recycling program was made possible under the paint stewardship law that was passed unopposed by the Illinois State Legislature and signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker in 2023. Under this law, paint manufacturers are required to develop and implement a cost-effective paint stewardship program that will reduce the generation of leftover paint, promote paint reuse and recycling, and manage the postconsumer paint waste stream using environmentally sound management practices. Oversight for the program will be provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“The launch of the PaintCare program represents an important step forward in expanding crucial recycling options for Illinois households and businesses,” said James Jennings, Director, Illinois EPA. “This collaborative statewide effort, led by PaintCare and its partner network, truly strengthens the broader efforts to conserve resources and adopt more sustainable recycling practices. It’s an exciting new chapter for Illinois and the environment.”
Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes adds, “This program is a tremendous win for Illinois families, businesses, and our environment. For years, residents have been asking for a simpler, more responsible way to dispose of old paint, and I’m proud to have sponsored legislation that directly responds to that need. This program will provide more collection sites than in the past; I believe more convenient access as additional drop-off sites join the system will be an incentive to families and business owners to safely dispose of leftover paint and free up space in their homes and businesses.”
PaintCare’s Illinois program follows similar paint stewardship laws and programs in California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, and a program is being developed for Maryland. The Illinois Paint Stewardship bill was supported by a broad coalition of municipal and environmental organizations, including the Illinois EPA; the Illinois Product Stewardship Council; and the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI).
“Illinois is the latest PaintCare program to come online, building on nearly two decades of collaboration and proven results,” said Scott Cassel, Chief Executive Officer, Product Stewardship Institute, who mediated the 2005 national agreement that brought more than 300 stakeholders together and led to the first paint EPR law in Oregon in 2007. “As the newest of 12 PaintCare programs, Illinois joins a proven framework that makes paint recycling convenient for residents and reduces costs for local governments.”
“We are excited by the cooperation between retailers, manufacturers, counties, and local communities working together to make this program a success. We look forward to seeing it expand into new neighborhoods across the state in the coming weeks and months,” said Marta Keane, Chairman, Illinois Product Stewardship Council.