PSI Fact-Sheet: product stewarship Financing Models

British Columbia Post-Consumer Paint Stewardship Program

Scope: / Home and commercial recycled paint products
Status: / Effective 1994, Amended 1997
Type of Program: / Product Take-Back Mandate – Advanced Recycling FeeAdvanced rRecycling fFee

Overview

The Post-Consumer Paint Stewardship Program Regulation (British Columbia Reg. 200/94) was enacted in 1994 under the Waste Management Act. Third Party Organizations (TPO) including Tree-Making-Paint Stewardship Association and Product Care Association manage the program. The program requires paint manufacturers to take cradle-to-grave responsibility for the management of products that contribute to the household hazardous waste stream. A small fee that is added to the cost of each new paint container sold funds the program. This "eco-fee" program employs the user-pays principal by shifting the cost of disposal from the municipal taxpayer to the manufacturer and consumer. The TPO sets the price of the eco-fees, which in turn cover the costs incurred by the manufacturer to run the program. There are no limitations on participation for manufacturers. It requires that paint producers take cradle-to-grave responsibility for the management of products that contribute to the household hazardous waste stream). The program includes consumer paints, varnishes, stains and aerosols for home and commercial use. Empty containers are accepted for recycling. Products that are excluded from the program are marine anti-fouling paints, specialty industrial coatings, such as two-part paints, and non-aerosol craft and automotive paints. The regulation was amended on June 26, 1997 to include all paints sold in pressurized containers (aerosols). The program employs the user-pays principal by shifting the cost of disposal from the municipal taxpayer to the brandowner and the consumer. As a result, the amount of illegally dumped hazardous waste is reduced and there is a shift in focus from treatment and disposal to recycling and reusing.

How It Works

Entity / Product Stewardship / Financing/ Payment
Consumer / Brings paint to collection sites. / Pays an eco-fee on each paint purchase.
Retailer / Posts visible signs that provide consumers with program information. / Collects eco-fees from consumers.
Manufacturer/
First Importer / Develops and distributes educational material to retailers. Provides information about return collection facilities, and the economic and environmental benefits of program participation. Ensures collection and management of used paint from collection sites. / Collects eco-fees from retailers.
Third Party Organization (TPO) / Fulfills responsibilities on behalf of its manufacturer members. / Sets eco-fees, which range from $0.10 to $1.00 per unit, depending on the number of liters per container.
Provincial Government / Enforces and monitors compliance. / N/A
Municipalityies / May undertake collection functions. / N/A

How it works: Product stewardship pathways
How it works: Product stewardship pathways

Impacts

In 2004, Product Care Association reported reported that out of 4,000,0006.12 million equivalent litreliter containers collected. In 2004, 381,109 total Aerosol Paint containers were sold with 71,420 processed by the Forest Industry and 84,597 containers processed by the brand-owners for a 40.9% recovery rate. d: 78% were recycled as raw material in the production of new industrial goods, 11% were re-used through the Recycling Council of British Columbia's province-wide materials exchange program, and by offering it free to non-profit groups and community organizations at no charge; and 437 tonnes of scrap steel and 30 tonnes of plastic from paint containers were recycled.

  • In 2000, the Tree-Marking-Paint Stewardship Association reported that out of the 596,045 containers collected (representing a 31% capture rate), 1200 litres of paint, excluding those processed by forest companies, were processed and burned for energy recovery. About 1700 litres of paint, excluding those processed by forest companies, are being stored at collection sites for future pick-up.

Over the six years of operation, the program has seen constant increases in paint recovery. For the last three years, Product Care reported an annual 1% increase in the amount of collected paint that is recycled. The also reported a 3% increase, from 1999 to 2000, in the quantity of collected paint that is re-used. The Tree-Marking Paint Association reported a 31% capture rate of aerosol containers for 2001.

  • Through educational materials, consumers may become more aware of how to efficiently buy and use paint to eliminate waste. Waste depots that are located in accessible locations facilitate the return of the product by the consumer and allow for a greater potential quantity of the waste to be recovered. Since the program's inception, disposal and incineration of paint has decreased.

Challenges

  • Regarding inter-provincial and international importers, the first seller in the province/country is defined as a brandowner. A few instances of free riding may occur from companies/individuals who are importing paint directly into province/country for their own use (i.e. not through a distributor). There is a potential for this situation to become more problematic with the growth of e-commerce.

Next Steps

  • It is important to incorporate incentives for the forest industry to process aerosol cans onsite. The Tree-Making-Paint Association has a long-term goal of recovering 80% of these containers and possibly placing deposits on them.

Resources

  • Extended Producer Responsibility and Stewardship:
 British ColumbiaCanada Environmental Protection Division

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/ips/paint/index.html

 Product Care Association

Tree-Marking-Paint Stewardship Association (includes list of manufacturers and collection facilities)

  • Legislation:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/JUST/regulations/regs/envsolid.htm

Similar Initiatives

Quebec Used Paint Program

Nova Scotia Paint Recycling Program

brandowners are participating?

size/ sales volume threshold for brandowner participation?