NEW EPISODE | How Waste Paint Became a World-First Idea

This article was contributed by Sustainable Transformation Podcast.

In this episode, Kiarne Treacy welcomes John Ferraro, the CEO of Paintback, an independent product stewardship scheme (made up of the five biggest paint companies in Australia) dedicated to collecting and repurposing unwanted paint and packaging.

And the best part of it all? Paintback isn’t gatekeeping this tech – they are opening their doors to other countries interested in implementing this circular recovery process!

John shares his journey from studying chemical engineering to leading a world-first initiative that’s changing how we deal with leftover paint. You’ll hear how Paintback is turning a waste problem into a circular solution and some advice we loved and hadn’t heard from anyone else.

So, grab your old paint tins and get ready to learn how you can keep paint out of landfill and contribute to a more circular future for Australia….just remember to remove your jellybeans first.

The Process:

You drop off your unwanted paint and packaging to a Paintback collection site > Paintback then transports that material to its facilities, where it is separated into metal and plastic containers > Solvent based paint is converted into an alternative energy source, while water is extracted from acrylic paint > The remaining by-product is reused in products such as Paintback’s Greyscale paint, or as an additive for concrete and sportscourts.

You’ll hear about:

• The major paint companies in Australia who came together to build Paintback to take sustainable action across their own industry.
• The importance of accessible drop-off points for people to drop off unwanted paint (with more than 165 locations across the country in every state and territory).
• How Paintback teams up with local councils to support making local communities beautiful.
• Paintback’s innovative process for recycling paint and packaging (Over 65 million kgs since inception).
• The challenges and successes in raising community awareness about responsible paint disposal and how to educate communities and consumers.
• Future goals for Paintback and the potential for expanding their impact in the recycling industry.

MENTIONS:

• Paintback
• Founding Members: Dulux, Haymes, PPG, Resene, Wattyl
• Paintback Brands: accent, Berger, Bristol, British Paints, Cabot’s, Dulux, Elite Professional, Feast Watson, Finish by Wattyl, Haymes Paint, Intergrain, Krysler, Master Stroke Trade, Newlook, Pascol, Porter’s Original Paints, PPG, Resene, Rust-oleum, Simply WoodCare, Solver, Taubmans, tint, Walpamur, Wattyl, White Knight
• Find a Paintback Disposal Location Near You
• The Paintback Education Hub has great resources to learn more about keeping paint and packaging out of landfill.
• Paintback 4 Litre Multi-Purpose buckets made from waste.

LINKS:

Learn more about SustainabilityTracker.com 

Learn more about The Sustainable Transformation Podcast

Follow The Sustainable Choice Group on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok

Follow Nova Podcasts on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind-the-scenes content – @novapodcastsofficial

CREDITS:

Host: Kiarne Treacy
Guest: John Ferraro
Guest Company: Paintback

Find more great podcasts like this at novapodcasts.com.au