...increasing sale of latex-based Recycled Content Paint (RCP), increasing the purchase of leftover paint from the governmental Hazardous Household Waste Program by RCP producers, and reducing the cost to local government for managing leftover latex paint. In addition, the Certification System is expected to increase the purchase of RCP by government agencies, painting contractors, and homeowners throughout the U.S. The Certification System was developed through the collaboration of several key federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, virgin paint manufacturers, and recycled paint manufacturers. A conservative estimate developed by the Product Stewardship Institute, the project coordinator, determined that there are 34 million gallons of leftover consumer paint per year in the U.S. If all leftover consumer paint in the U.S. had to be collected and managed by municipalities as waste, the costs are estimated to be over $275 million per year. The project was funded by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, Dunn-Edwards Paint Company, and Portland Metro Regional Government.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

INTRODUCTION

Look in most home basements, garages, tool sheds, and storage buildings and you will find a common item--leftover paint. Consumers often have no further need for it, trash haulers will not accept it unless it is dried, and local governments are left with trying to come up with an answer when asked, "What should I do with my leftover paint?" End-of-life management of leftover paint has become an increasingly costly line item in local government budgets in a time of shrinking state and local revenues. Dissatisfied with the current lack of cost-effective solutions, many of those involved in paint management have expressed interest in working together to jointly solve this problem.

In December 2003, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) convened the National Paint Product Stewardship Initiative (PPSI) and brought together representatives from the paint industry, industry associations, retailers, state and local government, environmental/consumer advocates, paint recyclers, and others, to develop a strategy for solving problems related to leftover paint management. PSI estimated the cost to manage leftover paint on a national level to be over $275 million per year. Participants in this dialogue agreed to implement 11 projects, at a cost of $1.2 million, which would provide information necessary for the development of a nationally coordinated leftover paint management system. One of the projects was the development of a performance and environmental certification system for recycled paint products.

Water-based (latex) paints make up the majority of recyclable leftover paint products. Although solvent-based paints are still used and sold, they present unique challenges for recycling. The standard described in this article will pertain only to water-based latex paints.

The best option for leftover paint is to recycle it. Since 65% of leftover paint is of such a quality that it can be reused or recycled, the goal is to maximize reuse to keep costs down and to maximize the production of recycled paint, which would help create a demand for leftover paint. Local governments are looking for an outlet for leftover paint that will use the non-renewable resources in paint such as titanium dioxide.

In order to maximize production of recycled content paint (RCP) products, there must be willing buyers. Potential markets for RCP include all levels of government, contractors, retailers, and do-it-yourself (DIY) consumers. Increased government procurement of RCP will drive the rest of the market because government already has mandates to buy it. However, government purchases are currently on the decline, which does not send a good market signal as to the value of the paint. Additionally, since government hires contractors, if contractors are required to use RCP on government projects, it will broaden the acceptance of the paint. What follows is an explanation of the current barriers to the market expansion of RCP.

In 2000, about 637 million gallons of paint were sold in the United States, equal to approximately 2.3 gallons per person. Not all of the unused paint that is left over can be recycled. Some paint is hardened, contaminated, or has been otherwise rendered unusable due to freezing, bacteria, and other factors. PSI estimates that 65% of leftover paint is usable as recycled paint; therefore, nationally about 18.2 million gallons are available for recycling.

Market Barriers

As identified in the PSI Technical Background Report (found on the PSI website at www.productstewardship.us/prod_paint_nat_dia.html), barriers to market expansion of RCP include general negative perceptions regarding RCP quality, the lack of color selection, difficulty in color matching, and limited availability of specific finishes (e.g., low luster, gloss). Other barriers include consumers' fear that the leftover paint could be contaminated with hazardous materials, and concerns by manufacturers regarding liability and the threat that expanding recycled paint production might negatively impact sales of virgin products.

Some paint manufacturers, however, have concerns regarding product liabilities associated with selling RCP, specifically in the area of hazards assessment and ingredients disclosure on material safety data sheets and labels as required by law. These manufacturers believe that there are no assurances of the recycled paint content. They...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.




More articles from JCT CoatingsTech
Nano silver powder.(New Products), February 01, 2007
Coating thickness gage.(New Products), February 01, 2007
Water sensitivity.(Coatings Clinic), February 01, 2007
Aerosol can crusher.(New Products), February 01, 2007
Air-cooled xenon lamp.(New Products), February 01, 2007

Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.

Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication name or publication date.

About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company analysis or best practices in managing your organization, Goliath can help you meet your business needs.

Our extensive business information databases empower business professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible, authoritative information they need to support their business goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting, company research or defining management best practices - Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.