Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
A new paint recycling program began in Illinois on Dec. 1, 2025, enabling households and businesses to recycle leftover paint, stain and varnish conveniently and sustainably. The program is operated by PaintCare, a nonprofit organization created by paint companies through the American Coatings Association (ACA) to manage leftover paint in states that have enacted paint stewardship laws.
“We’re excited to bring PaintCare to Illinois, giving families and businesses, easy, year-round options for recycling leftover paint,” says Michael W. Johnson, CEO at the American Coatings Association. “This program showcases the coatings industry’s commitment to innovative, sustainable solutions for our communities. Our goal is to make it easy and convenient to ‘recycle the rest,’ creating a responsible solution for our industry that benefits everyone who uses paint and the environment.”
The program was made possible under the paint stewardship law, requiring paint manufacturers to develop and implement a cost-effective paint stewardship program that will reduce the generation of leftover paint, promote paint reuse and recycling and manage the postconsumer paint waste stream using environmentally sound management practices. Over 250 drop-off sites are anticipated, created in partnership with paint and hardware stores and local government facilities across Illinois.
“Illinois paint and hardware retailers, along with local government facilities, are essential partners in this effort,” says Ross Dudzik, Illinois program manager at PaintCare. “Their willingness to volunteer space and serve as convenient drop-off locations is truly the backbone of this program. We look forward to welcoming additional partners and helping communities across Illinois recover and recycle hundreds of thousands of gallons of leftover paint.”
PaintCare’s Illinois program follows similar paint stewardship laws and programs in California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Maryland.
“The launch of the PaintCare program represents an important step forward in expanding crucial recycling options for Illinois households and businesses,” says James Jennings, director, Illinois EPA. “This collaborative statewide effort, led by PaintCare and its partner network, truly strengthens the broader efforts to conserve resources and adopt more sustainable recycling practices. It’s an exciting new chapter for Illinois and the environment.”
