A new California law will expand the range of products managed by the PaintCare program in the state from architectural coatings to a broader array of paint product types. SB 1143, which passed the state legislature with bipartisan approval on Aug. 30, received support from CalRecycle, environmental advocates, and the American Coatings Association (ACA). Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on Sept. 29.

PaintCare is a nonprofit organization representing paint companies that plans and operates stewardship programs for leftover architectural coatings in states with stewardship laws. Active in California since 2012, the program provides a network of nearly 800 drop-off sites where households and businesses can take their leftover paint. Sites include paint retailers, local government run waste collection facilities, material reuse stores, recycling centers, and others. PaintCare partners with waste processors to ensure collected paint is reused as-is, recycled into new paint, or put to some other beneficial use whenever possible. The program has managed 35 million gallons of leftover architectural paint to date.

With SB 1143, the stewardship program’s covered products will be expanded to include additional nonindustrial coatings and coating-related products. In 2023 another industry supported California law added aerosol coatings to the list of products that PaintCare will manage. Under SB 1143, the timeline for adding aerosol coatings has been merged with the additional coatings product categories and extended to 2028 to streamline regulatory processes and program implementation. Implementation plans are under development and are pending approval by CalRecycle.

“We’re looking forward to making PaintCare a more universal stewardship program for California consumers,” said Marjaneh Zarrehparvar, president of PaintCare. “With over a decade of success operating the state’s architectural coatings program, we have a strong foundation and the right partners to manage nearly all leftover paint products in the state.”

“The changes to PaintCare’s program under SB 1143 are the result of collaboration with lawmakers, stakeholders, and all those interested in ensuring all coatings and related products can be properly managed through PaintCare’s existing network,” said ACA president and CEO Andy Doyle. “This new law is a win-win: it will help to protect the environment and provide convenient end-of-life management access for consumers.”