PSI FACT-SHEET: PRODUCT STEWARSHIP FINANCING MODELS
QUEBEC USED PAINT PROGRAM
Scope:
Paints sold in retail outlets, excluding certain paint types. 1
Status:
Began informally in 1998; regulation established 2001
Type of Program:
Product Take-Back Mandate – Advanced Recycling Fee
Overview
The Regulation Respecting the Recovery and Reclamation of Discarded Paint Containers and Paints
(Quebec Regulation 655-2000) falls under the Quebec Environmental Quality Act and is the directive for
the Province's paint collection and recycling program. The program is run by a third party organization
(TPO), Éco-Peinture. Éco-Peinture is a non-profit corporation that connects paint manufacturers and
manufacturers to promote the recovery and reclamation of paint residues. It comprises representatives
from the paint industry, the Ministry of the Environment, Recyc-Québec, municipalities, environmental
groups and consumer associations. The objective of the program is to increase recovery, reuse and
recycling of paint and paint containers, and to employ the polluter-pays principle by mandating industry's
involvement. Manufacturers must manage their own paint recovery systems and pay Éco-Peinture to
undertake the program responsibilities on their behalf. The eco-fee on paint purchases is set by ÉcoPeinture.
Product
Stewardship
Product stewardship efforts aim
to encourage manufacturers and
retailers to take increasing
responsibility to reduce the lifecycle impacts of a product and
its packaging – energy and
materials consumption, air and
water emissions, the amount of
toxics in the product, worker
safety, and waste disposal – in
product design and in the endof-life management of the
products they produce.
How It Works
Entity
Consumer
Product Stewardship
Brings paint to collection sites and/or
participate in a pick-up program.
Retailer
May collect paint at retail locations.
Manufacturer/
First Importer
Éco-Peinture
(TPO)
Responsible for ensuring recovery of
post-consumer paint and containers,
informing participants of collection
points, environmental education and
paint reclamation. Manages paint
recovery system.
Provides Ministry of Environment and
Wildlife with annual report on program
management.
Provincial
Government
Established the program.
Municipalities
Provide about 70% of current collection
initiatives.
Financing/ Payment
Pays eco-fee of $0.25 on each
container purchased to cover ÉcoPeinture’s costs.
Collects eco-fees from consumers.
Responsible for costs associated with
collection and transport of paint to
processing plant.
Pays Éco-Peinture to undertake
program responsibilities on their behalf.
Pays for paint and paint container
processing and transportation. Partially
finances development of municipal
collection systems.
Responsible for enforcement and
compliance monitoring and associated
costs.
Pay for the required infrastructure and
transportation of materials to processing
plant.
Exempt paint types are those used by artists, stains, primers, varnishes, lacquers, wood or masonry
treatment products and other mixtures designed for maintenance, protection or decoration purposes
1
Updated: May 1, 2006
PSI
The Product Stewardship
Institute (PSI) is a national nonprofit membership-based
organization that works with
state and local government
agencies, manufacturers,
retailers, environmental groups,
federal agencies, and other key
stakeholders to reduce the
health and environmental
impacts of consumer products.
PSI takes a unique product
stewardship approach to solving
waste management problems by
encouraging product design
changes and mediating
stakeholder dialogues.
Product Stewardship Institute
Paint Finance Model
How it works: Product stewardship pathways
Manufacturer
Purchase
paint
Retailer
Purchase
paint
Consumer
Pay eco-fee on purchase
Pay eco-fee
Éco-Peinture (TPO)
Deposit paint products
Municipalities
Deposit paint products
Monitor
compliance
Provincial
Governments
Impacts


Since the official start of the program in April 2001, Éco-Peinture has collected more than 12,000 tons of paint and there are now
more than 900 collection centers in Quebec.
The metal from the paint containers represents just over 20% of the total weight recovered. The metal is compacted, bundled and sold
for recycling. About 16% of the material collected is unusable and sent to landfills.
Challenges


Éco-Peinture is currently trying to increase the collection of completely empty paint cans. The rate of collection in 2006 was around
18 to 20%, and the goal is to collect at least 50% of the paint cans brought into the market each year.
Éco-Peinture has found that the main barrier to recycling empty paint cans is inadequate information from the metal recycler. There
is a need for better information to the steel recycler and the manufacturers. There also seems to be a fear of handling the
"hazardous" material, as some recyclers will not accept empty paint cans.
Next Steps



Future plans include continuing research and development activities for environmentally sound, secondary uses for paint.
Targets set for the recovery of designated paints and containers are: 25% by 2002, 50% by 2005,
and 75% by 2008.
Éco-Peinture is collaborating with recyclers and municipalities to discuss how empty paint cans can
Contact
be placed into the regular "blue box" recycling bins instead of separate paint recycling bins.
Information
Resources




Extended Producer Responsibility and Stewardship:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/en/DetailView.cfm?intInitiative=73
Environmental Ministry of Quebec
http://www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/ministere/inter_en.htm
Éco-Peinture
http://www.ecopeinture.ca/
Legislation:
http://www.canlii.org/qc/laws/regu/q-2r.20.01/20060115/whole.html
Similar Initiatives


British Columbia Post-Consumer Paint Stewardship Program
Nova Scotia Paint Recycling Program
Éco-Peinture
www.ecopeinture.ca
Georges Portelance
514-426-0880
Éco-Peinture@qc.aira.com
Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.
Scott Cassel, Executive Director
617.236.4855
scott@productstewardship.us
www.productstewardship.us