PaintCare
PaintCare is a nonprofit organization established by the American Coatings Association to implement manufacturer led paint stewardship programs in states that pass paint stewardship laws. PaintCare currently operates programs in California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. The main goal of PaintCare is to decrease paint waste and recycle more postconsumer paint by setting up convenient drop-off sites in each state.
The following are PaintCare products included in the program. When purchased, the PaintCare fee is applied. These products are accepted at no additional cost when dropped off at PaintCare’s participating drop-off sites.
- Interior and exterior architectural paints: latex, acrylic, water-based, alkyd, oil-based, enamel (including textured coatings)
- Deck coatings, floor paints (including elastomeric)
- Primers, sealers, undercoaters
- Stains
- Shellacs, lacquers, varnishes, urethanes (single component)
- Waterproofing concrete/masonry/wood sealers and repellents (not tar or bitumen-based)
- Metal coatings, rust preventatives
- Field and lawn paints
The following are non-PaintCare products and are not included in the program. When purchased, the PaintCare fee is not applied. They are not accepted at PaintCare’s participating drop-off sites.
- Paint thinners, mineral spirits, solvents
- Aerosol paints (spray cans)
- Auto and marine paints
- Art and craft paints
- Caulking compounds, epoxies, glues, adhesives
- Paint additives, colorants, tints, resins
- Wood preservatives (containing pesticides)
- Roof patch and repair
- Asphalt, tar and bitumen-based products
- 2-component coatings
- Deck cleaners
- Traffic and road marking paints
- Industrial Maintenance (IM) coatings
- Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (shop application) paints and finishes
- Containers that are leaking or empty, and containers without the original printed manufacturer’s label are not accepted at retail drop-off sites
PaintCare Drop-Off Sites
PaintCare has established more than 2,000 paint drop-off sites across its programs. Most sites are paint and hardware stores, as well as government run waste collection facilities. Find your nearest Drop-Off site here.
What is the recovery fee and how does it work?
The PaintCare program is funded through a paint stewardship fee called the PaintCare fee. The PaintCare fee is applied to the purchase price of architectural paint. The fee funds collection, transportation, and processing of unused postconsumer (leftover) architectural paint, public education about proper paint management, and administrative costs. 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 purchases paint. This reduces local and state government costs for paint management and provides a funding source for a more convenient, statewide paint management program.
Do retailers have to pass on the fee?
Yes, each state or jurisdiction’s law requires retailers to pass on the fee to consumers, ensuring a level playing field for all parties. This requirement includes paint sold online on any ecommerce websites.
Is the fee taxable?
Yes, the fee is part of the purchase price of paint. Sales tax is collected on the fee in most cases, except in Oregon, a state that does not have a sales tax, and Maine, per supplemental legislation.