Barnet launch for RePaint&#39s 50th project

As part of a network of paint reuse schemes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the scheme provides the collection of leftover paint from the waste stream and passes it onto those who need paint but cannot afford it, such as charities and voluntary organisations.

The Barnet based scheme becomes RePaint's 50th scheme and was launched today by Barnet Council and community kerbside recyclers ECT Recycling, who also launched the first ever UK RePaint scheme in Ealing in 1993.

The Community RePaint takes unwanted surplus paint from the waste stream and passes it on to charities, community groups and voluntary organisations for re-use.

According to RePaint, over 300 million litres of paint are sold in the UK to the DIY market and to trade decorators. Approximately 37.5 million litres of DIY and 2.5 million litres of trade paint remain unused and there could be as much as 100 million litres of paint stored in homes across the UK. The paint tends to be stored and then disposed to landfill.

The paint is collected from householders as well as traders, professional painters and decorators and retail outlets. Schemes use a variety of collection systems, including dedicated drop-off points at DIY retail stores, custom made, walk-in skips at civic amenity sites, drop-off facilities at council or parish offices and through direct delivery to the scheme's base.

The network's expansion has been supported by funding from ICI Dulux, Biffaward and the Community Fund (formerly the national Lottery Charities Board).

Gary Clarke, manager of the Barnet scheme, said: “It is astonishing to think that without Community RePaint schemes such a quality material would otherwise be thrown away.”

Greater London Authority cabinet member for the environment Brian Coleman said: “This is another example of the Administration's determination to cut down on the amount of waste produced in the borough. This initiative has real benefits for both the community and the environment.”

Community RePaint is co-ordinated by Save Waste And Prosper (SWAP). In 2001, it redistributed over 53,000 litres of unwanted paint worth over 200,000 to over 2,000 community projects. By 2005, it aims to have 90 paint reuse schemes across the UK.