What is more exciting than watching paint dry? Watching paint product stewardship legislation gain a foothold across the United States. More than eight states now have industry-driven laws on the books requiring transportation, recycling and processing of collected paint.
Full Circle actively participated in the years of sector research, stakeholder dialogue and policy development that led to this programmatic success for collection of post-consumer paint. Specifically, David Stitzhal staffed the Northwest Product Stewardship Council’s Paint Subcommittee. In this capacity, Stitzhal was involved in research and model building regarding residual paint volumes and consumer behavior. He was also responsible for communicating with local government leadership to gather information about their paint programs, and for engaging their legislative support for paint product stewardship. Stitzhal also provides direct outreach, three times per year, to all paint retailers in the City of Bellevue to assist them in communicating with customers about how to manage leftover household paint.
Paint is a high-volume, hard-to-handle, recyclable material that does not lend itself to curbside collection. And oil-based paints are highly toxic, requiring management as household hazardous waste when discarded. Product stewardship solutions are proving effective when manufacturers are responsible for meeting specific performance goals such as providing convenient, accessible collection locations throughout the state.
