NEW YORK PAINT STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
Information for Paint Purchasers in New York
A new paint recycling program began in New York on May 1, 2022. The program is funded by a fee on new paint sales.
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, Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, and is developing a program for New York. Paint Drop-Off Sites The primary requirement of paint stewardship laws is for paint manufacturers to set up paint drop-off sites at retailers and other locations where households and businesses can take leftover architectural paint, free of charge. PaintCare has established more than 2,000 paint drop-off sites across its programs. While most sites are paint and hardware stores, solid waste facilities including transfer stations, recycling centers, and landfills, as well as household hazardous waste (HHW) facilities are also important partners and may participate as paint drop-off sites.
Fee and Funding As required by New Yorks paint stewardship law, the program will be funded by a fee (known as the PaintCare fee) that must be added by manufacturers to the wholesale price of all architectural paint sold in the state. This fee will be paid by manufacturers to PaintCare to fund program operations, including paint collection and recycling, consumer education, and program administration. Displaying the fee on receipts will be optional for retailers; however, PaintCare will encourage retailers to show the fee to inform consumers about the program. Most retailers choose to show the fee on receipts and invoices in other states with a PaintCare program.
PaintCare Fee
The fee is based on container size:
$0.00 Half pint up or smaller
$0.45 Larger than half pint up to smaller than 1 gallon
$0.95 1 gallon up to 2 gallons
$1.95 Larger than 2 gallons up to 5 gallons
Please note that when the program begins the fee must be applied to all architectural paint sold both in stores and online.
Limits on Quantities at Drop-Off Sites Drop-off sites may set their own limits on the quantity of paint they will accept from households and eligible businesses at one time. All sites will accept up to 5 gallons of paint, but some PaintCare sites may accept more. The public will be advised to contact any site they intend to use before dropping off paint to find out whether the site can accept the amount and type of paint they would like to recycle.
What Products Are Covered?
The products accepted at PaintCare drop-off sites will be the same products that will have a fee when they are sold.
PaintCare products include interior and exterior architectural coatings sold in container sizes of five gallons or less. They do not include aerosol products (spray cans), industrial maintenance (IM), original equipment manufacturer (OEM), or specialty coatings.
PAINTCARE PRODUCTS
Interior and exterior architectural paints: latex, acrylic, water-based, alkyd, oil-based, enamel (including textured coatings)
Deck coatings, floor paints
Primers, sealers, undercoaters
Stains
Shellacs, lacquers, varnishes, urethanes
Waterproofing concrete/masonry/wood sealers
and repellents (not tar or bitumen-based)
Metal coatings, rust preventatives
Field and lawn paints
NON-PAINTCARE PRODUCTS
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