Dave Brooksher

Redwood Times

Southern Humboldt Builders Service is participating in a new statewide program to help consumers properly dispose of leftover paint. This local drop-off location has been set up under the California PaintCare program, mandated by Jared Huffman’s Assembly Bill 1343 which passed in 2010 when Huffman was in the state legislature.

"I got an email from the paint recovery program, and it sounded like a good thing. I’ve had quite a few people inquire about whether or not we take drop-offs. It’s a great idea," says Ron Olsen, owner of Southern Humboldt Builders Service in Garberville. "When they come to pick up a container, they’ll bring another container with them. There’s no fee for us."

Olsen is optimistic that the drop-off facility may also have the added benefit of bringing more customers to his store.

"When people know this is a drop-off station, that could get more traffic in the store," Olsen added.

The program is funded by adding a "recovery fee" to the purchase price paid by consumers buying paint in the state of California. Added costs will range from $0.35 per unit for purchases of more than half a pint but less than a gallon to $1.60 per unit for purchases of 1-5 gallons.

This is similar to the electronic waste recycling fee currently attached to big-ticket electronics purchases like new TVs, as provided for under the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003.

”This is an important program that will make paint recycling more convenient for Californians, reduce the financial burden on local governments, and protect the environment," says congressman Jared Huffman. "It allows industry to take the lead in developing a safe and reliable system for the recovery and proper management of leftover paint. It’s a win-win.”

Redway True Value Hardware and Parkinson’s Building Materials owner Craig Parkinson said he has no plans to participate in the program in the immediate future, but is looking into the possibility.

The California PaintCare Program is expected to result in several environmental benefits. Some paints, particularly if they’re latex based, can be recycled. Oil based paints are considered a hazardous household waste that should not be sent to landfill or dumped into the watershed - and the California PaintCare program will make it easier for consumers to dispose of properly.

You can find out more by calling Southern Humboldt Builders Service at 707-923-2781 or dropping by their retail location at 690 Thomas Road, Garberville. Drop-off sites for Humboldt County residents have also been set up at Glidden Professional and Sherwin-Williams in Eureka.