Some Connecticut retailers of paints and coatings will begin collecting the thousands of unused gallons sold each year if the governor signs a measure adopted by the General Assembly.
SB 828 recently passed in the House and is on its way to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s desk for his signature, authorities say.
The measure embraces a plan by the American Coatings Association to have a nonprofit organization represent its members in collecting unused paint and coatings for recycling. Under the bill, unused coatings would be dropped off at specified retail-collection sites for disposal by the nonprofit.
The program is expected to start on July 13, 2013, to give state environmental regulators time to draw up formal program rules, officials said.
 “There are 7.4 million gallons of paint sold in Connecticut each year; 10 percent of that total is leftover or unused,” Rep. Pat Widlitz (D-Guilford, Branford), who led the bill to the House floor, said in a statement.
Ultimately, Widlitz said, the program would save Connecticut cities and towns the estimated $620,000 annual cost – 75 cents a gallon; $1.60 per five-gallon container — to dispose of paint at hazardous waste collection sites.
Typically, he said, most latex-based paint is left to harden in its container and then tossed into the regular trash.
Types of paint products that can be covered under the program include: Oil- and Latex-based paint; deck coating; waterproof sealers; primers; varnishes; stains; and shellac.
