Minnesota Passes Paint Recycling, Stewardship Law

Minnesota has adopted a bill that calls for the implementation of a statewide paint stewardship and recycling program.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton signed in law an omnibus bill, H.F. 967, that includes a requirement for manufacturers to fund and operate a post-consumer paint take-back program, according to a news release from the Boston-based Product Stewardship Institute Inc.

Minnesota’s program, similar to other paint take-back programs, will be funded through a small per-container fee that manufacturers pay to Washington-based PaintCare Inc., a nonprofit organization established by the American Coatings Association, to implement the program.

Manufacturers pass the fee onto retailers, who then pass it on to consumers. The paint recovery fees fund the program. All architectural paint manufacturers that sell in Minnesota must register with the PaintCare program.

In 2008, Minnesota was the first state in America to introduce an extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill for paint. The bill twice passed the state legislature but was vetoed each time by Gov. Pawlenty.

Paint stewardship laws also have been passed in Oregon, California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont.