Reporting by Karen Ackerman Witter for Illinois Times:
“Though there were numerous negotiations, ultimately the IEPA, solid waste agencies, environmental groups and the paint industry all came together in support of the legislation,” Mark Biel, CEO of the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois, told Illinois Times. Biel mentioned the Illinois Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Environmental Law & Policy Center and GBD International – the largest paint recycler in the U.S. with its largest facility in Nashville, Illinois – as working together on the details of the legislation.More than 200 Illinois residents gathered in Springfield on Wednesday for Environmental Lobby Day, joining lawmakers and advocates in the Illinois Capitol rotunda to push for a trio of environmental bills aimed at curbing pollution and protecting natural resources.
“The key drivers of the legislation were Brad Babcook of the Chemical Industry Council of Illinois and Kyle Rominger, chief of the Bureau of Land at the IEPA. Kyle navigated the IEPA’s challenges of setting up a PaintCare program while complying with the current state statutes and regulations,” Biel said.
PaintCare operates the paint recycling program in states that have enacted paint stewardship laws. The first program in the country was established in Oregon in 2010. Currently there are 11 states and the District of Columbia participating. To date, approximately 85 million gallons of paint, stain and varnish have been managed by PaintCare. Most of the drop-off sites are paint and hardware retail stores, but also include facilities owned by local units of government and nonprofit organizations.
PaintCare estimates 10% of the 800 million gallons of architectural paint sold annually in the U.S. goes unused. PaintCare manages the collected paint to make good quality material available for immediate use and only landfilling the small amount that can’t be reused or recycled. Most latex paint is sent to recycling processors and made into new paint, and most oil-based paint is used as fuel. PaintCare also provides information on how to paint smarter, by estimating how much paint to buy for a project and knowing how best to store and reuse paint and then recycle what’s left (Info at https://www.paintcare.org/paint-smarter/).
“The Paint Stewardship Act was negotiated over a number of years and we’re excited to see it working,” Jen Walling, CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council, told Illinois Times. “It’s a common-sense solution that keeps hazardous waste out of our landfills and waterways while making it easier for Illinois residents and businesses to responsibly recycle leftover paint. We’re proud of the work happening across the state including expanded collection sites, public education and partnership with local governments.”