Leftover household paint is one of those things that can easily be donated for recycling or reuse but seldom is, according to New Paltz-based sustainability advocate Wendy Toman. “Much of it is trashed because people don’t know where to take it, or they think nobody will want this old stuff. But people do want it, and they need it.”
The New Paltz Paint Swap founded by Toman in 2017 is a simple enough proposition: those with unwanted paint may donate it and those in need (or want) of a little paint can have it for free. Located in the lobby on the second floor of Village Hall at 25 Plattekill Avenue in New Paltz, the Swap is a permanent fixture at the site, run by Toman as a one-person volunteer effort at no cost to the village.
To “swap” implies that one must bring something to take something, but that’s not the case here. There are a few rules, a complete list of which may be found on the village website. A waiver must be signed when donating or picking up, and only water-based paints and stains are accepted. (An exception is made for artist-quality tubes of oil paint, because they are claimed so quickly when donated.) Painting supplies such as rollers, brushes, buckets and drop cloths are available at the Swap, as are sketchbooks and other fine art materials. Even clean, empty paint cans get a second life, used to transfer paint into from donated containers too crusty to close properly.
Donations may be made only on the second Tuesday of every month from 4-6 p.m. Pickups are allowed any time the doors of Village Hall are open. The Swap is open to everyone, with no residency requirement. TerraCycle bins are also available at the site to recycle items not allowed in regular recycling programs.
Part of a bigger picture
In founding the New Paltz Paint Swap, Toman consulted with the Product Stewardship Institute, an advocacy group concerned with passing “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) laws that require manufacturers to manage their products more responsibly from beginning to end of use. When it comes to household paint, the PSI estimates that 80 million gallons, or ten percent of what is purchased every year, goes unused. The EPR laws require paint companies to develop and manage stewardship programs that make it easy for consumers to donate their leftover paint to be used by someone else or recycled into new paint or related products.
It’s difficult to estimate exactly how much paint has been rescued in New Paltz because people don’t always record the amount they’re taking when they sign the waiver, says Toman. But in reviewing her records she estimates the amount to be as much as 700 gallons since August 2017. And as she points out, not only does the program keep potential contaminants out of the environment and eliminate those associated with new manufacturing, the Swap is a money-saver for those picking up the donations at a time when the cost of paint has skyrocketed along with everything else.
Future plans
Toman launched a number ofreuse programs during her tenure as coordinator of the Gardiner Transfer Station, including an early iteration of the Paint Swap. “To not waste the Earth’s resources, to reuse and recycle, is part of my moral compass,” she says.
Her next venture is planned for later this summer at Zero Place on N. Chestnut Street in New Paltz. The aptly-named “Second Nature” will be a refillery shop designed to help reduce single-use plastic consumption, providing a place where customers will bring their own containers to purchase refills of personal care products, household products and pantry items such as nuts, rice and seeds.
The time frame for opening the shop is still very much up in the air because the proposed business still has to go through the initial stages of approval from the Village Planning Board and undergo a public hearing before construction on the interior can begin. While the apartments at the site are finished and occupied, the business spaces at Zero Place are still a blank slate waiting for new business-owners to install plumbing, electrical, and interior fixtures. With a public hearing projected for August 2, Toman hopes to begin that work shortly afterward.
The Zero Place location was chosen for its visibility and good parking as well as the building’s alignment with Toman’s earth-friendly philosophy. Her aim is to keep prices competitive and offer products that are not only packaging-free buteco-friendly with a low impact on the environment.
For more information about the New Paltz Paint Swap, visit https://www.villageofnewpaltz.org/new-paltz-paint-swap/. To learn more about additional local paint collection sites, visit https://www.PaintCare.org/faqs.
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