PSI FACT-SHEET: PRODUCT STEWARSHIP FINANCING MODELS
BRITISH COLUMBIA POST-CONSUMER PAINT STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
Scope:
Home and commercial recycled paint products
Status:
Effective 1994, Amended 1997
Type of Program:
Product Take-Back Mandate – Advanced Recycling Fee
Overview
The Post-Consumer Paint Stewardship Program Regulation (British Columbia Reg. 200/94) was enacted
in 1994 under the Waste Management Act. Third Party Organizations (TPO) including Tree-Making-Paint
Stewardship Association and Product Care Association manage the program. The program requires paint
manufacturers to take cradle-to-grave responsibility for the management of products that contribute to the
household hazardous waste stream. A small fee that is added to the cost of each new paint container sold
funds the program. This "eco-fee" program employs the user-pays principal by shifting the cost of disposal
from the municipal taxpayer to the manufacturer and consumer. The TPO sets the price of the eco-fees,
which in turn cover the costs incurred by the manufacturer to run the program. There are no limitations on
participation for manufacturers. The program includes consumer paints, varnishes, stains and aerosols for
home and commercial use. Empty containers are accepted for recycling. Products that are excluded from
the program are marine anti-fouling paints, specialty industrial coatings, such as two-part paints, and nonaerosol craft and automotive paints. The regulation was amended on June 26, 1997 to include all paints
sold in pressurized containers (aerosols).
How It Works
Entity
Consumer
Product Stewardship
Brings paint to collection sites.
Retailer
Posts visible signs that provide
consumers with program information.
Develops and distributes educational
material to retailers. Provides
information about return collection
facilities, and the economic and
environmental benefits of program
participation. Ensures collection and
management of used paint from
collection sites.
Fulfills responsibilities on behalf of its
manufacturer members.
Manufacturer/
First Importer
Third Party
Organization
(TPO)
Provincial
Government
Municipality
Updated: May 1, 2006
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.
PSI
Financing/ Payment
Pays an eco-fee on each paint
purchase.
Collects eco-fees from consumers.
Collects eco-fees from retailers.
Enforces and monitors compliance.
Sets eco-fees, which range from $0.10
to $1.00 per unit, depending on the
number of liters per container.
N/A
May undertake collection functions.
N/A
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
Purchase
paint
Brandowner
Purchase
paint
Retailer
Consumer
Pay eco-fee on purchase
Pay eco-fee
Deposit paint products
Product Care (TPO)
Municipalities
Monitor
compliance
Deposit paint products
Collection Site
Provincial
Governments
Impacts


In 2004, Product Care Association reported 6.12 million equivalent liter containers collected. In 2004, 381,109 total Aerosol Paint
containers were sold with 71,420 processed by the Forest Industry and 84,597 containers processed by the brand-owners for a 40.9%
recovery rate.
Through educational materials, consumers become more aware of how to efficiently buy and use paint to eliminate waste. Waste
depots located in accessible locations facilitate the return of the product by the consumer and allow for a greater potential quantity of
the waste to be recovered. Since the program's inception, disposal and incineration of paint has decreased.
Challenges

A few instances of free riding may occur from companies/individuals who are importing paint
directly into province/country for their own use (i.e. not through a distributor). There is a potential
for this situation to become more problematic with the growth of e-commerce.
Next Steps

It is important to incorporate incentives for the forest industry to process aerosol cans onsite. The
Tree-Making-Paint Association has a long-term goal of recovering 80% of these containers and
possibly placing deposits on them.
Resources

Extended Producer Responsibility and Stewardship:
http://www.ec.gc.ca/epr/inventory/en/DetailView.cfm?intInitiative=55
 British Columbia Environmental Protection Division
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/epd/epdpa/ips/paint/index.html
 Product Care Association
http://www.productcare.org/
 Tree-Marking-Paint Stewardship Association (includes list of manufacturers and collection facilities)
http://www.treepaint.ca/
 Legislation
http://www.gov.ns.ca/JUST/regulations/regs/envsolid.htm
Similar Initiatives

Quebec Used Paint Program
Nova Scotia Paint Recycling Program
Contact
Information
Product Care Association
www.productcare.org
Mark Kurschner
604.592.2972 Ext. 201
mark@productcare.org
Product Stewardship Institute, Inc.
Scott Cassel, Executive Director
617.236.4855
scott@productstewardship.us
www.productstewardship.us