July 15, 2004
Dear Recycling Coordinators:
The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) is currently facilitating a national Paint Dialogue focusing on the development of a sustainable management system for leftover paint. Our goal is to reduce leftover paint generation, and to increase the reuse and recycling opportunities for leftover paint so that disposal becomes unnecessary. We would like your help in obtaining program information.
PSI is a membership organization ( that currently has 54 members made up of 29 states and 25 local agencies. The PSI membership supports a unique product stewardship approach to solving waste management problems by encouraging design changes, conducting research, and mediating stakeholder dialogues. Since its inception in 2000, PSI has been working with local, state and federal government agencies, manufacturers, retailers, environmental groups, and other key stakeholders to reduce the health and environmental impacts of consumer products, including electronics, paint, mercury-containing thermostats, tires, gas cylinders, beverage containers, and radioactive devices.
The participants in the national Paint Dialogue have been trying to identify the extent of the existing paint collection infrastructure across the nation. Earth 911 ( / and 1-800-CLEANUP), also known as the U.S. Environmental Hotline, currently houses a database of community-specific paint reuse, recycling, and disposal program listings. In an effort to ensure that we have as complete a database as possible for the United States, PSI is assisting Earth911 by requesting that each community update and/or add its paint collection program information on . By updating this information, you will help further the Paint Dialogue discussions and, ultimately, the results of this national effort.
Earth911 believes it has a comprehensive database of permanent collection facilities that accept paint but wants to verify information and capture the following:
- Any program information you may have for paint reuse, exchange, or swap, including both municipal programs and or those operated by non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity.
- Temporary collection programs for paint such as one-day HHW collection events, including your schedule for collections.
- Permanent collection programs that accept paint for recycling, in addition to disposal. Please include the days and hours of operation.
This information is easily updated via the Earth 911 network. To update your information on you can do so by one of three methods:
(1)Online updates via the Earth 911 online User Interface (UI). To apply for a database password, please fill out the online form found at
(2)Email program updates using an online form at
(3)Fax program updates to the attention of Colleen Tomes, Data Manager of Earth 911, at (480) 889-2660.
Since you will be providing us with useful information, we want to provide you with a one-page guidance document for consumers on how to manage leftover paint. You can find the document on the PSI website at This document was developed by consensus by the multi-stakeholder group of participants in the national paint dialogue. Remember that our long-term goal is to eliminate leftover paint, or at least its disposal. This document can be customized based on local conditions and regulations. We hope you find it useful.
Again, thank you for helping us to obtain the most current data on paint collections nationwide. By having this data, we hope to prompt industry and government to coordinate paint education and program efforts to reduce the amount of leftover paint and encourage reuse, recycling, and proper disposal of paint across the United States.
Sincerely,
Scott Cassel
Director
Product Stewardship Institute Paint Stewardship Dialogue – July 2004