Elected officials and paint industry leaders gathered at the Illinois State Capitol for a press conference highlighting the early progress of the new statewide architectural paint recycling program. Operated by PaintCare, a nonprofit organization created by the American Coatings Association聽(ACA), the program helps households and businesses recycle leftover paint, stain, and varnish in a convenient and responsible way. Just two months after its December 1, 2025 launch, the program is already seeing strong participation across the state with a growing network of more than 340 drop-off site community partners.
PaintCare鈥檚 paint recycling program was made possible under the paint stewardship law聽that was passed with bipartisan support by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in 2023. This morning鈥檚 press conference featured remarks from notable supporters of the legislation including Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes, who served as the bill鈥檚 Chief Senate Sponsor. Illinois EPA Director James Jennings, American Coatings Association President and CEO, Michael W. Johnson and PaintCare IL Program Manager, Ross Dudzik, also offered insights into the program鈥檚 successes to date, including the collection of an estimated 60,000 gallons of leftover paint during the first two months of the program.
Attendees of the conference included key advocates for the program including Walter Willis, Executive Director of the Solid 黑料网 Agency of Lake County, and Heather Presutti, VP of Operations for paint recycler GDB Paint & Coatings, among others. Scott Cassel of the Product Stewardship Institute was not able to attend, but a statement provided by Cassell was read by Walter Willis.
Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes said, 鈥淭his program is a tremendous win for Illinois families, businesses and our environment. For years, residents have been asking for a simpler, more responsible way to dispose of old paint, and I鈥檓 proud to have sponsored legislation that directly responds to that need. This program will provide more collection sites than in the past; I believe more convenient access, as additional drop-off sites join the system, will be an incentive to families and business owners to safely dispose of leftover paint and free up space in their homes and businesses.鈥�
Illinois State Representative Natalie Manley said, 鈥淭oday鈥檚 event reflects how impactful policy can be when it鈥檚 designed to work in the real world. Looking at the incredible collection numbers and partnerships to date, it鈥檚 clear that the paint stewardship legislation is already making a strong impact here in our state.鈥�
PaintCare estimates its new Illinois program will manage nearly one million gallons of leftover paint in its first year with the help of its local drop-off site partners and communitywide events.听The program has already signed on 345 partners, with more onboarding planned according to Michael W. Johnson, President and CEO of the聽American Coatings Association.听The drop-off sites primarily consist of paint and hardware retail stores, but also facilities owned by local government and nonprofit organizations. These entities participate voluntarily collecting leftover paint during regular business hours to provide households and businesses a convenient, year-round recycling option.
鈥淭he remarkable turnout and enthusiastic support from local leaders today confirmed what we already knew鈥擨llinois was more than ready for this program,鈥� said Johnson. 鈥淭he collection numbers speak for themselves and serve as a strong indicator that the program is working, scaling effectively and meeting a significant need in communities statewide. The success is the direct result of focused leadership and unprecedented collaboration across policy, environmental advocacy, retailers and local communities. Today marks a major milestone and a strong foundation for what comes next.鈥�
From early on, the paint stewardship legislation was supported by a broad coalition of municipal and environmental organizations, including the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA); the Illinois Product Stewardship Council (ILPSC); and the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI).
James Jennings, Director of the聽Illinois EPA聽said, “Seeing measurable participation so soon after launch shows that Illinois households and businesses are responding to expanded recycling options. Programs like this play an important role in supporting responsible materials management and strengthening recycling infrastructure across the state.鈥�
Scott Cassel, Chief Executive Officer of PSI聽said,聽鈥淚llinois is already demonstrating the strength of a paint stewardship program built on a proven model. This early retailer participation is accelerating access for households and businesses across the state. That kind of scalable network is what sustains these programs over time and supports more effective paint management at the community level.鈥�
PaintCare鈥檚 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, and Washington. A program is also currently being developed for Maryland. PaintCare manages collected paint according to a policy of 鈥渉ighest, best use,鈥� which emphasizes聽making good quality material available for immediate reuse, recycling it, or putting it to another beneficial use if it can鈥檛 be reused or recycled. There is no cost to households and businesses when dropping off leftover paint for recycling. A small fee鈥攃alled the PaintCare fee鈥攊s placed on the sale of new paint and funds all aspects of the program including paint collection, transportation, processing and public education.
Illinois drop-off locations are easy to find by visiting PaintCare鈥檚 online site locator at paintcare.org, or by calling PaintCare鈥檚 hotline number at (855) PAINT09.听According to Ross Dudzik, PaintCare鈥檚 IL Program Manager, 鈥淕etting new partners up and running smoothly has been a major focus of the early rollout. PaintCare鈥檚 field representatives are working directly with retailers across the state鈥攕upporting everything from onboarding to regular collection pickups鈥攖o make participation straightforward and simple from day one. That hands-on partnership allows the program to expand quickly while ensuring each new site is set up for success.鈥�