A stewardship program launching in Illinois will divert an estimated one million gallons of paint from the waste stream in its first year, organizers say.
The program, launched this month, is managed by PaintCare, a producer responsibility organization founded by the American Coatings Association. The initiative is the result of the state’s 2023 Paint Stewardship Act, which requires manufacturers to develop the program.
Illinois EPA Director James Jennings said the launch of the program is an important “step forward in expanding crucial recycling options for Illinois households and businesses.“
The state EPA will provide oversight throughout implementation and an anticipated 250 sites at paint and hardware retailers, local government facilities and other partner locations will come online as the program gears up.
“Their willingness to volunteer space and serve as convenient drop-off locations is truly the backbone of this program,” said Ross Dudzik, Illinois program manager at PaintCare.
The sites will accept a minimum of five gallons from each customer, with free pickup available for 100 gallons or more. A fee determined by container size is funding the cost of implementation and operation including paint collection, transportation, processing and public education: free for half pint or smaller, $0.45 for larger than half pint up to smaller than one gallon, $0.95 for one to two gallons and $1.95 for two to five gallons, according to PaintCare.
Accessibility is key to the success of the paint recycling program, according to Illinois Senator Linda Holmes.
“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,” she said. “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.”
Collected paint, the majority of which is latex, will be rated on a policy of “highest, best use,” identifying material available for immediate reuse, recycling or other “beneficial” alternatives. The majority of paint collected by PaintCare is remixed into recycled-content paint by processors, according to the organization.
PaintCare currently manages stewardship programs in 11 states, along with Washington DC and is preparing to launch in Maryland. Both the Illinois and Maryland programs are modeled after those implemented in other states.
The Maryland Department of the Environment approved a program plan and container-based fee structure on Oct. 25, and aims to launch the effort in April 2026.
“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 of the Illinois Product Stewardship Council.
To date, PaintCare has collected 85 million gallons of paint nationally.
