What Do We Do With The Leftover Paint? New EPA Study Shows Millions of Gallons Available for Safe Disposal, Reuse or Recycling
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

A new EPA study estimates that about 10 percent of the U.S. house paint purchased each year – about 65 to 69 million gallons – is ultimately discarded.

Leftover paint is the largest volume material collected by most household hazardous waste collection programs and represents a high cost for local governments. Despite existing collection efforts, large volumes of leftover paint remain stored in basements and garages across the country. Yet, leftover paint offers significant potential for reuse and recycling.

The study was released at a national meeting of the Paint Product Stewardship Initiative (PPSI) on April 18 and 19 in Washington, D.C. This initiative brings together paint manufacturers, retailers, recyclers, EPA officials, and representatives from more than two dozen state and local agencies to find better ways to manage leftover house paint. The PPSI has just completed a 2-year, $1 million research program laying the foundation for a nationally coordinated solution.

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