Devon’s community organisations, charities, and households are benefitting from a surge in accessible paint thanks to the growing success of Community RePaint across the county’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).
The paint reuse initiative, run in partnership with SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, Devon County Council and Community RePaint has rapidly expanded since its launch last summer, transforming leftover paint into a valuable community resource.
Since opening, Community RePaint at Devon Recycling Centres has supported nearly 2,500 households, redistributing more than 11,000 litres of good‑quality reusable paint that would otherwise have gone to waste. Donated paint is collected, checked for quality, and made freely available for residents, community groups, and local organisations — offering both environmental benefits and a financial lifeline for grassroots projects.
Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Devon County Council Cabinet Member responsible for waste services, highlighted the project’s impact, noting that;
“By doing this we are saving a good material from going to waste, as well as saving on disposal costs. It’s a simple, effective way to reduce waste, support sustainability, and help local residents, charities and community groups access affordable decorating materials.”
Jacqui Winterburn, Re‑use Area Coordinator for SUEZ, said the response has been overwhelmingly positive:
‘With an average of around 700 householders receiving free paint each month, it’s been a fantastic success….Not only is it supporting the local community, but it’s also helping Devon residents to be more sustainable by keeping good-quality paint in use’.
As more of Devon’s HWRCs join the UK‑wide Community RePaint network, the project is proving to be a simple but powerful model for community‑led reuse — revitalising public spaces, reducing costs for grassroots groups, and preventing thousands of litres of usable paint from ending up as waste.
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