National painting contractor, Alfred Bagnall & Sons Limited, has returned four tonnes of paint that would otherwise have gone to waste, via innovative paint recycling scheme, PaintCare. With the intention of creating a circular economy for leftover paint and its packaging, PaintCare is on a mission to achieve a paint recycling rate of at least 42% by 2032.
With only 2% of paint currently recycled within the UK – thought to total 55m litres of wasted decorative paint – this is a lofty goal. However, it’s a goal that PaintCare’s leader, the British Coatings Federation (BCF), is determined to meet by recycling, reusing and remanufacturing 75% of all leftover paint.
Currently, the majority of this wasted paint ends up within the domestic waste stream, eventually making its way to landfill or being disposed of as hazardous waste, racking up costs for local authorities – many of which are already struggling. The BCF saw an opportunity to create a national solution to this issue, ensuring that more is done with this leftover paint, instead of simply consigning it to landfill.
Bagnalls played a pivotal role in the initial trial of PaintCare that took place within the West Midlands earlier this year, returning around four tonnes of leftover paint and cans. At least 2.8 tonnes of this paint was repurposed or remanufactured, with the remaining recovered for energy from waste.
Participants in the trial were invited to drop off leftover water- and solvent-based paints, as well as primers, stains, sealants, varnishes and shellac, at PaintCare collection points across the West Midlands.
The paint was collected throughout the trial period and repurposed to make new paint products that other companies can now use. The newly repurposed paint products will also be used to support social enterprises, helping communities and individuals across the UK.
Thanks to PaintCare, Bagnalls has seen a reduction in carbon emissions as a company. As the BCF works towards a full national rollout of the scheme, following the success of the West Midlands trial, this reduction will no doubt encourage other businesses to join the push to create a more sustainable painting and decorating industry.
Ben Featherstone, Bagnalls’ Sustainability and Compliance Manager, commented: “This just shows how vital PaintCare is in helping us achieve a more sustainable way of working – both Bagnalls as a company and the wider painting and decorating industry.
“It’s great to have a tangible figure of the amount of paint that Bagnalls has been able to return via the scheme. We’re excited to see how PaintCare develops as we work towards the full national rollout, helping other painting and decorating companies boost their environmental credentials and ensuring we provide quality work while also caring for our planet.”
As Bagnalls sets an example for other large contractors working in the painting and decorating sector, it’s the hope of the BCF that more companies will want to get involved and begin returning similar amounts of paint that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Working with the intention of creating a more sustainable way of operating for all businesses within this sector, the BCF hopes to solve the UK’s leftover paint problem.
