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Construction and Demolition Recycling Recycled Latex Paint |
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IntroductionAs with any painting project, latex paint is often purchased in greater quantities than needed. Rather than dispose of the leftover paint, it can be reused or reprocessed to make a high-quality, economical, recycled paint for use in place of standard latex paint. Why Use Recycled Paint?Lower Cost. Recycled paint is often sold at lower prices than virgin paint of comparable quality. Product Choices. What was once a one-color, limited-use product is now available in numerous grades, colors, and percentages of postconsumer content. Recycled latex paint can now meet a wide variety of specifications and can contain additives such as anti-mildew fungicides and color pigments that can be matched between batches. It is also available for metal surfaces and as primer. It can be sprayed, rolled, or brushed on, just as any other paint. Disposal Problem. The average household stockpiles 1 to 3 gallons of waste paint per year, according to several studies. In California, unless latex paint is reused or recycled, it is considered a hazardous waste and must be disposed of in a Class I hazardous waste landfill. Management of leftover paint, such as disposal and household hazardous waste (HHW) collection, is discussed in another fact sheet, Latex Paint: Hazards and Solution for Disposal. Save on Disposal. Landfilling is an unnecessary expense because leftover paint, in most cases, is still a usable product. Purchasing recycled paint creates a market demand that helps build a convenient collection infrastructure. DefinitionsRecyclable. “Recyclable paint” is leftover usable latex paint that a customer delivers to a HHW or paint collection event, or directly to a paint manufacturer. Consolidated or Reusable. “Consolidated” or “reusable paint” is paint collected and made available to consumers without modification of paint properties by a paint manufacturer. Recycled. “Recycled paint” is recyclable paint that has been reprocessed by a paint manufacturer to meet specific performance specifications, as described below. Reprocessing“Recycled paint” is reprocessed or “remanufactured” by steps that usually include the following: Filtering. Most paint as collected contains a small amount of filterable solids, so the paint must be filtered if it is to be applied by spraying. Mixing with standard paint. Though some recycled paint is 100 percent recycled, most recycled paint is mixed with standard paint. The added new paint is usually white, which adds coloring flexibility. Most recycled latex paint is at least 50 percent recycled content; however, it is available in a wide range of other percentages as well. Adding pigments. Pigments are added as needed to achieve particular shades. Adjusting pH. New latex paint has a pH between 7.5 and 9.5. Paint tends to lower in pH during storage. Adding amines or ammonia can restore the pH. Recycled Paint StudyA three-year study was conducted by California Polytechnic State University to evaluate recyclable and recycled latex paint. The study was done in conjunction with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB). The study found that "a high quality recycled paint may be obtained by blending with virgin materials and by making adjustments in some of the paint properties-principally the viscosity and pH." The study can be downloaded from the CIWMB's online publications catalog. See Publications at the bottom of this page. State PurchasingThe Public Contract Code (PCC) section 12203 et seq. requires State agencies to purchase recycled paint containing at least 50 percent post-consumer paint. The Department of General Services (DGS) previously awarded a statewide contract for purchasing of recycled latex paint by any local government body or corporation empowered to expend public funds and State agencies. This contract has now expired, and DGS plans to begin work on a new contract. Sources of Recycled PaintThe following companies manufacture recycled latex paint in California. Call for distributor locations. Dunn-Edwards Corporationwww.dunnedwards.com 1-800-566-2396 Cal Western Paints Contract Coatings Corp. EcoPaint Kelly-Moore Pacific Resource Recovery San Luis Paints Stiles Paint Manufacturing Visions Recycling For the latest information on recycled-content products (RCP), please visit the RCP database. For your nearest latex paint recycling centers, search the the Board's recycled-content building products database. Sources of Consolidated PaintThe following vendors sell consolidated latex paint. Early American Paint & Varnish Co. PublicationsSee the Board's online Publications Catalog (Household Hazardous Waste section) for information on ordering or downloading the following CIWMB publications about recycled paint.
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Last updated: November 01, 2007 Construction & Demolition Debris Recycling http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ConDemo/ C&D Program Staff: condemo@ciwmb.ca.gov (916) 341-6452 |