Are paint recycling fees legal? Some shoppers surprised by extra charge - FingerLakes1.com
Are paint recycling fees legal? Some shoppers surprised by extra charge | Fingerlakes1.com
Since May 2022, New Yorkers purchasing paint have been noticing an additional recycling fee on their bills.
This fee is part of a state-wide initiative run by PaintCare, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the proper disposal and recycling of paint products. The program aims to facilitate the recycling process by allowing customers to drop off old paint at participating hardware stores and other businesses across the state.
The fee structure for this recycling program varies based on the quantity of paint purchased. It starts at $0.45 for amounts ranging from half a pint to a gallon, increases to $0.95 for one to two gallons, and reaches $1.95 for purchases between two to five gallons.
This fee is designed to cover the costs associated with collecting, transporting, and processing leftover paint. According to PaintCare, the program has successfully raised over $21 million since its inception and has recycled more than 1 million gallons of paint in New York.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to
Related Knowledge Center: Air emissions
More than 30 years after the last major update of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has upended the ability of Congress to give the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies broad scope to combat air pollution, including the emission of greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, further Biden administration efforts to limit emissions face opposition in the courts.