A community project to recycle paint and give it to people in need has been launched on the Isle of Wight.
Spearheaded by isYOU Initiatives, a community interest company based at Ryde, the project will see unwanted paint donated by businesses and retailers given to people — particularly those in social need — charities, schools and voluntary groups. The Community RePaint Project has been successfully rolled out elsewhere in the country by environmental consultants Resource Futures. Heath Monaghan, project manager at isYOU Initiatives, said: “The Comm-unity RePaint project is so simple and is hugely beneficial for both the community, as it can help us all to improve our environments by making them cleaner and tidier, and the environment, because it provides a way of reusing paint, rather than sending it to landfill.”
The project would also provide volunteering opportunities for unemployed people, giving them a chance to gain work experience and learn practical skills, he said. Resource Futures’ community project manager Mark Gregory said: “Community RePaint began in 1993 and, with long-term funding from Dulux, has since grown into a huge success. “More than 400 million litres of paint are sold each year, of which 60 million litres are stored or wasted. Community RePaint at isYOU Initiatives will enable some of this paint to be put to good use.” Anyone wishing to donate paint or find out more about the project can contact the scheme via the Community RePaint ‘Do You Need Paint?’ page on our website.
Article from Isle of Wight County Press Online, by Emily Pearce 06/09/2014.
