Paint recycling gets the big tick

Wednesday, 10 August 2011, 9:45 am
Press Release: Resene

10 August 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minister for the Environment Nick Smith announced the accreditation of Resene’s PaintWise paint and packaging recycling programme today, the first accreditation for a paint recycling programme and only the sixth product stewardship scheme he has accredited.

“This scheme provides New Zealanders with an environmentally responsible way of disposing of their waste paint.” said Dr Smith.

Following nearly five years of development, Resene PaintWise was launched in 2004 by Resene to encourage paint users to minimise the effects of their decorating on the environment. The service with assistance from 3R Group then rolled out to the rest of New Zealand to become nationwide in mid 2007.

2011 was already a milestone year for Resene PaintWise with the programme reaching over one million packs returned. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of recycled paint and packaging have also been recycled or reused.

And in a world first, Resene has now started to use 100% post consumer recycled paint pails made out of plastic Resene pails collected from the PaintWise service. Pails being returned to the PaintWise service are being washed and reprocessed into ‘new’ Resene paint pails using a custom design process developed in New Zealand. The concept is so new that the plant needed to run the process has had to be designed and built from the ground up using kiwi ingenuity. There is no limit to how many times the pails can be recycled - as long as the Resene pails are returned they can be recycled many times in the years to come.

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Decorators can bring in unwanted paint and paint packaging, any brand, to one of the Resene ColorShops designated PaintWise Collection centres during opening hours.

Good quality Resene paint is provided free to community groups, waterborne paint is used for other applications such as covering graffiti, solventborne paint goes through a solvent recovery program and packaging is recycled. Already over 100,000 litres of paint has been donated.

Resene’s managing director, Nick Nightingale, says the PaintWise idea was conceived in 1999 and is an extension of the company’s commitment to the development of environmentally friendlier products and practices.

“Over fifty years ago, Resene turned the paint industry on its head with the development of New Zealand’s first waterborne paint. Since then we’ve achieved a milestone of 15 years of Environmental Choice certification and developed a highly successful environmental choice product range, but we never intended to stop there and Resene PaintWise is testament to that,” he says.

“We’re very proud to receive accreditation for the Resene PaintWise service. It’s a welcome reward for all the effort Resene and 3R Group staff have put in over the years to make the PaintWise service a success. We’re also delighted by, and immensely grateful for, the support and encouragement from everyone using the Resene PaintWise. Without their support the service wouldn’t be what it is today.”

Community groups can apply for donations of paint from the Resene PaintWise program online at www.resene.co.nz/paintwise.htm or complete and return the Community Paint Registration Form available from Resene ColorShops.

Anyone keen to clean out cluttered garages and sheds can take unwanted paint and paint packaging to most Resene ColorShops during normal opening hours. A small charge applies to non Resene and trade returns:

ends

Resene

Resene, the paint the professionals use

Resene has everything you need; quality colours, Environmental Choice approved paints, wood stains and specialty coatings to get a superb finish on all your decorating projects, big or small, inside or out. All designed and made right here in New Zealand since 1946. Plus an extensive range of wallpapers and decorating accessories. Resene Tech Experts and Colour Experts help thousands of decorators with their projects every year. Resene is 100% kiwi owned and operated with a nationwide network of Resene ColorShops. Awarded New Zealand's Most Trusted Paint since 2012.