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Paint frequently asked questions

Why is paint waste problematic?

  • Paint disposal in landfills creates environmental and public health problems. One gallon of improperly disposed paint has the ability to pollute up to 250,000 gallons of water.

What is being done about paint waste?

  • As of July 1, 2015 a Paint Stewardship Program was formed in Colorado to aid in paint disposal. This program encourages source reduction, paint reuse and paint recycling.

What is the stewardship assessment associated with new paint sales?

  • The Paint Stewardship Program was the product of Senate Bill 14-029 which approved a stewardship assessment on all new, consumer paint sold in Colorado.

Stewardship assessment schedule:
Half pint or smaller: $0.00
Larger than half pint to smaller than 1 gallon: $0.35
1 gallon up to 2 gallons: $0.75
Larger than 2 gallons up to 5 gallons: $1.60

New rates effective April 1, 2026

  • Half pint or smaller:
    • Current assessment: $0.00.
    • Approved assessment: $0.00.
    • Change: $0.00.
  • Larger than half pint up to smaller than 1 gallon:
    • Current assessment: $0.35.
    • Approved assessment: $0.50.
    • Change: $0.15.
  • 1-2 gallons:
    • Current assessment: $0.75.
    • Approved assessment: $1.15.
    • Change: $0.40.
  • Larger than 2 gallons up to 5 gallons:
    • Current assessment: $1.60.
    • Approved assessment: $2.25.
    • Change: $0.65.

What does this stewardship assessment go towards?

  • The revenue collected from this stewardship assessment funds a stewardship organization, PaintCare, to oversee paint reuse and recycling. When consumers have old and/or unused paint, it can be dropped off at a participating PaintCare location at no cost to the consumer. This paint is then reused, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally sound way.
     

Where can I drop-off paint?

What if I have a lot of paint?

  • For those with over 100 gallons of paint, PaintCare can arrange a large volume pick-up with no associated cost.
     

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