PaintCare
A U.S. nonprofit product-stewardship organization that manages leftover architectural paint through state collection, recycling, reuse, and disposal programs.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
PaintCare is a U.S. nonprofit product-stewardship organization created by the American Coatings Association to operate programs for managing leftover architectural paint in jurisdictions that have enacted paint-stewardship laws. Rather than functioning as a conventional paint manufacturer or retailer, PaintCare coordinates a system through which consumers, businesses, and other users can bring unwanted paint to designated drop-off sites. The collected material may be reused, recycled into new paint or other products, used as an input in industrial processes, or managed through energy recovery and other approved disposal methods. The organization emerged from the paint industry’s effort to establish producer-supported stewardship programs for a waste stream that is frequently discarded improperly. Its first U.S. program began in Oregon in July 2010. Under the model, a stewardship fee is added to the sale of each covered container of paint in participating states or jurisdictions. The fee finances collection networks, transportation, processing, public education, administration, and related program activities. This structure places responsibility for end-of-life management across the paint supply chain while providing residents with more convenient disposal options. PaintCare’s role is implemented jurisdiction by jurisdiction because the programs depend on state or local legislation. After Oregon, programs were established in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Connecticut’s program began in July 2013, and Minnesota’s began in July 2015. The programs generally use retail stores, household hazardous-waste facilities, and other participating locations as drop-off points, although the precise accepted materials, fees, and operating rules vary by jurisdiction. Recovered paint does not have a single universal destination. In Oregon, reported uses have included manufacture of recycled paint for resale, incorporation into cement-related materials, and incineration for energy production. In Minnesota, recovered paint has generally been recycled into new paint, used in materials associated with landfill cover, or processed through energy recovery. These pathways reflect the condition and composition of the material as well as the requirements of the applicable program. PaintCare has also participated in policy discussions concerning the federal regulation of paint waste. In February 2024, PaintCare and the American Coatings Association petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to classify paints and related materials as Universal Waste. Such a classification could place covered materials and the businesses handling them under the federal framework in 40 CFR Part 273, subject to EPA consideration and any subsequent regulatory action. The brand is therefore positioned around practical environmental stewardship rather than consumer product differentiation. Its public-facing value proposition is convenient drop-off access, responsible management of leftover paint, and a producer-funded mechanism for reducing improper disposal. PaintCare remains active in the United States, with the scale and details of its operations determined by the participating jurisdictions and their paint-stewardship laws.
History
PaintCare was established by the American Coatings Association to manage paint-stewardship programs in U.S. jurisdictions that adopted laws requiring or supporting organized end-of-life management for leftover paint. The organization’s creation was connected to the launch of the first U.S. paint-stewardship program in Oregon in July 2010. The program introduced a producer-funded approach in which a fee was applied to the sale of each covered paint container. The resulting funds supported collection locations, transportation, processing, communications, and administrative functions. The Oregon program provided the initial operating model for PaintCare. During its first year, the reported cost incurred by the program was $7.03 per gallon. The program was originally scheduled to sunset in 2014, but legislation rescinded that sunset provision, allowing the stewardship system to continue. PaintCare subsequently expanded its operations as additional states and the District of Columbia enacted paint-stewardship laws. Programs were established in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Connecticut’s program was established in July 2013, while Minnesota’s began in July 2015. Each jurisdiction has its own statutory framework, fee structure, accepted materials, and implementation details, but the common operating concept is a network of convenient collection points funded through fees on paint sales. The organization’s work addresses leftover architectural paint from households, contractors, businesses, and other users. At participating drop-off sites, material is assessed and routed to an appropriate management pathway. Reusable paint may be prepared for reuse, while other material can be processed into recycled paint or used in industrial applications. Reported Oregon pathways have included recycled paint production, use as an additive in cement-related materials, and incineration for energy generation. In Minnesota, reported pathways have included recycling into new paint, use in landfill-cover materials, and energy recovery through incineration. PaintCare’s activities also include program administration and public information. Its reporting and registration infrastructure supports paint producers and other participants in the stewardship system, while its consumer-facing materials help people locate drop-off points and understand which materials are accepted. Because the programs operate under state and district legislation, PaintCare’s responsibilities and service coverage are not identical across all locations. In 2024, PaintCare and the American Coatings Association petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to classify paint and related materials as Universal Waste. The petition sought a federal regulatory framework under which handlers, transporters, importers, and receivers could be subject to the standards in 40 CFR Part 273. The petition represented a policy effort to create a more consistent federal treatment for paint waste; it did not itself establish a new classification. PaintCare’s history is consequently defined by the growth of producer responsibility in the paint sector. Its brand represents a service and stewardship network rather than a line of consumer coatings. The organization continues to operate in the United States, with its programs shaped by the legislation and regulatory conditions of each participating jurisdiction.
- 2024
Petition for federal Universal Waste classification
[2]PaintCare and the American Coatings Association petitioned the EPA to classify paint and related materials as Universal Waste.
- 2015
Minnesota program established
[1]PaintCare established its Minnesota program in July 2015.
- 2014
Oregon sunset provision rescinded
[1]The sunset provision that had been scheduled to end the Oregon program was rescinded through legislation.
- 2013
Connecticut program established
[1]PaintCare’s state program network expanded to Connecticut in July 2013.
- 2010
First U.S. paint-stewardship program begins in Oregon
[1]PaintCare was formed to manage the first U.S. paint-stewardship program, which began in Oregon in July 2010.
Products and positioning
A nonprofit product-stewardship operator connecting paint producers, retailers, governments, collection sites, and the public to manage leftover architectural paint.
Collection service · 2010
PaintCare drop-off network
A network of participating locations where residents, contractors, and other users can bring leftover covered paint for reuse, recycling, energy recovery, or other appropriate management. The locations and accepted materials depend on the applicable state or District of Columbia program.
Product stewardship administration · 2010
Paint stewardship programs
Jurisdiction-specific programs funded by a fee on the sale of each covered paint container. PaintCare administers collection, logistics, processing, education, and related stewardship functions under paint-management laws.
Recycling and reuse · 2010
Recovered paint management
Collected paint is directed to pathways appropriate to its condition and composition, including preparation for reuse, production of recycled paint, use in cement-related or landfill-cover materials, and energy recovery.
Brand decisions
2024
Seek federal Universal Waste treatment for paintStrategyBackground
PaintCare and the American Coatings Association sought a more consistent federal regulatory approach for paint and related materials handled through stewardship and waste-management systems.
Action taken
They petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to classify paints and related materials as Universal Waste under the framework described in 40 CFR Part 273.
Aftermath
The petition requested regulatory consideration; the reference material does not establish that the requested classification had been adopted.
Recent events
- 2024
PaintCare and American Coatings Association petition EPA on Universal Waste classification for paint[2]
Regulation
PaintCare and the American Coatings Association submitted a petition asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to classify paints and related materials as Universal Waste under the federal hazardous-waste framework.
Sources4 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/paintcare · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled