Everything you need to know about recycling paint and solvents
Paint is a hazardous waste item. Do not put it in your recycling or garbage bin.
Paint includes:
Primers & Sealers Varnishes Paint cans Primers Sealers Stains Shellacs Wood coatings Undercoats
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Learn more about recycling paint
How to recycle paint
Australia has a national product stewardship for paint called Paintback, which provides households and small businesses with free access to safe disposal drop-off points.
Households and trade painters can take their unwanted paint and packaging to a Paintback site. There are more than 165 drop-off locations across Australia, with new sites being established regularly in both regional and metropolitan areas. The waste paint and packaging is stored at the collection point ready for Paintback to pick up.
Use the directory on this page to find a Paintback location near you.
What does the scheme accept?
Paintback accepts a maximum of 100 litres in volume per visit. This must be carried in secured containers no larger than 20 litres.
Why recycle?
Paint should not be put in household recycling or garbage bins as it contains chemicals such as solvents and metals that can contaminate our groundwater and have negative effects on human health. Dropping off paint for recycling reduces these impacts as well as the costs associated with hazardous waste disposal.
Paintback is the way to:
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Responsibly deal with waste paint after painting
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Declutter your garage, shed or under the house of old paint containers
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Recycle and reduce waste going to landfill
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Avoid landfill fees that may apply to waste paint
What happens to it?
Paintback picks up the waste paint and transports it from the collection point for treatment. Subject to contamination, the containers are recycled. Waste paint is treated in a number of ways including energy recovery and liquid/solid separation for water-based paint, significantly minimising landfill over alternative practices.
Since launching in May 2016, Paintback has collected and treated over 36 million kilograms of paint and packaging.
Watch this video to find out what Paintback does with the paint and packaging they collect.
What is Paintback?
Paintback® is taking unwanted paint and packaging's colourful past to a brighter future of responsible disposal and innovative reuse. Established in 2016, Paintback is an independent not-for-profit organisation which is funded through a 15 cents plus GST per litre levy on eligible products*, between 1 litre and 20 litres inclusive. Along with disposing of waste paint responsibly, Paintback is committed to researching new ways to repurpose unwanted paint materials.
For more information, visit Paintback or call1300 390 380.
Responsible paint brands
Paintback is driven by the Australian paint industry and the major companies that supply around 95% of all the architectural and decorative (A&D) paint sold in Australia. Paintback’s founding members are Dulux, Haymes, PPG, Resene and Valspar.
The following paint brands support Paintback:
For more information, visit Paintback or call 1300 390 380.
Reusing paint
Circle Paints collects surplus paint from trade painters to sell on their online store. This ensures the unused paint is used for its original purpose, instead of being sent to landfill or used as alternative energy source or in industrial applications.
Trade painters in Sydney can donate unwanted paint to Circle Paints for reuse. They will arrange a convenient time for collection of surplus paint. Depending on distance from their depot in St Peters, they collect minimum volumes of between 50 and 80 litres.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are plastic paint buckets recyclable?
Plastic paint buckets cannot be recycled via your household recycling bin. Your household recycling bin is only for plastic bottles and containers from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry, so large rigid plastic items like buckets should not be put in there.
Paint buckets and tins can be dropped off for recycling at your local Paintback site. Use the directory on this page to find a recycling point near you.
If you have a large quantity of plastic buckets that you need to get rid of, search as a business on the rigid plastics page to find a commercial plastic recycler in your area that may accept them (it is advised to call in advance to check if they will be accepted and if there is a cost).
Can you recycle canvas paintings?
Unfortunately, canvas paintings aren’t easily recycled as they are made from a mix of materials. Therefore, to avoid sending them to landfill, you might like to paint over them and turn them into a new piece of artwork or donate them to a local charity store or community group so others can enjoy them.
Are paint brushes recyclable?
Unfortunately, paint brushes are not easily recycled. They should never be put in your household recycling bin. However, with some good care, you can extend the life of your brushes and use them repeatedly. Be sure to clean your brushes thoroughly after each use to keep them in good condition.
If your brushes are no longer fit for painting, you might like to reuse them as cleaning brushes to clean tricky places around the house. When you’re ready to get rid of them, they should be placed in your household garbage bin.
