Trenton – In an effort to ensure paint is being disposed of in an ethical and safe manner, the Senate Environment and Energy Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Senator James Beach which would require paint producers to implement or participate in a paint stewardship program.

The bill, S-2679, would require every producer of architectural paint sold within the State to implement, or participate in, a Statewide architectural paint stewardship program.

“Disposing of paint in an environmentally friendly manner can be costly to do; however, it is still the most common item brought to hazardous waste program collection days,” said Senator Beach (D-Burlington/Camden). “These programs are insufficient, inconvenient and costly for local governments. This bill will hold paint companies responsible to organize and oversee the proper disposal of paint, taking this burden off of our municipalities, while still ensuring paint is being disposed of safely.”

The paint stewardship program would aim to promote its reuse and recycling and negotiate and execute agreements for its collection, transportation and disposal, among other things.

The bill would require a paint stewardship program plan to be submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) prior to its implementation, and every year following its implementation they would have to submit a report of program activities to the DEP.

The program would have to meet certain standards set by the bill to ensure it is efficient and convenient for residents. The program would be responsible for determining an appropriate amount for the paint stewardship assessment, which would be included in the sale price of all brands participating in the program to cover the cost of the program.

The bill was released from committee by a vote of 4-0.