Tag: Paint

West Sussex Joins Community RePaint Network to Tackle Paint Waste

West Sussex County Council (WSCC), in partnership with Biffa, has become the latest member of the Community RePaint Network, a nationwide initiative designed to reduce paint waste and promote reuse across the county.

As part of this scheme, West Sussex residents can now donate leftover paint or pick up to three tins of donated paint at selected Recycling Centres. This scheme encourages the reuse of surplus paint that might otherwise go to waste, helping local people refresh their homes, projects, and community spaces without the environmental impact of disposal.

Lily Graves, Community RePaint Network Officer, commented:
“We’re thrilled to partner with West Sussex County Council and Biffa on this fantastic initiative. By giving surplus paint a second life, we’re not only reducing waste but also helping communities access free or affordable resources for their homes and projects. It’s great to see the Community RePaint scheme now available in West Sussex, and we’re excited to save more paint from going to waste as a result.”

Participating Recycling Centres:

Residents can donate paint that is still in good condition—i.e. not dried out or mouldy—when the designated collection containers have space. Accepted paints are water-based, and must not carry any ‘hazardous to health’ or ‘flammable’ warning symbols. For a full list of accepted paint types, visit the WSCC website.

Cllr Deborah Urquhart, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change at WSCC, said:
“The paint reuse initiative is a fantastic way to reduce waste at our Recycling Centres and give surplus paint a second life in the community. It aligns with our broader goals of waste prevention, reuse, and environmental protection, which are central to our Council Plan.”

How to Donate or Collect Paint:

To donate or collect paint, you must book an appointment to visit one of the participating Recycling Centres. Booking is quick and easy, and slots can be reserved online or by phone, either for the same day (subject to availability) or up to 14 days in advance. Simply visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/booktorecycle to book your slot.

To learn more about the Community RePaint scheme and find a collection point near you, click here.

By donating or collecting paint, residents can help to ensure it doesn’t go to waste while contributing to a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly community.

A win for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

We are delighted to announce that, in partnership with Dulux, Community RePaint has won the prestigious Corporate Social Responsibility Award at the British Coatings Federation Annual Awards!

Having run for three decades and redistributed over 5.4 million litres of reusable leftover paint, Community RePaint has been recognised as the forerunner of sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility across the paint industry.

With the support of Dulux, Community RePaint has coloured the lives of countless individuals, charities, and community organizations across the UK and created a more sustainable future for all.

Peter Howard, Sustainability Lead at Akzo Nobel, writes: ‘This incredible initiative wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of so many Dulux colleagues over the years and Sam Reeve, Martin Pearse, Lilian Graves and David Squire together with the wider team at Resource Futures, who tirelessly support, grow, and nurture the national Community RePaint network.”

Undoubtedly, the true driving force behind the success of the Community RePaint network are the organizations and local authorities that operate the more than 80 schemes across the UK. These grassroots community groups, alongside growing support from local authorities and waste management companies, are the foundation of this initiative. They are the ones at the forefront, responsible for collecting, storing, and distributing surplus paint in a way that delivers real, tangible impact. Their unwavering commitment to sustainable practices and their dedication to supporting those in need are truly commendable. Together, they have forged a robust network that goes beyond the simple act of recycling paint; it is about creating a more sustainable and equitable future for communities across the country.

We’re delighted to celebrate this prodigious award for our work so far, but we’re also looking forward to the road ahead. As Network Manager, Martin Pearse, reflects “Good progress has been made but much more to do!”

 

The Community RePaint network is expanding, with more local authorities and waste management services joining in to create paint reuse stations at recycling centers. If you would like to be part of the Community RePaint movement, ensuring that paint doesn’t go to waste and gets to homes and community projects instead, we’d love to hear from you! Email: repaint@resourcefutures.co.uk

Community RePaint Swindon celebrates 25 years of paint reuse!

This November, Community RePaint Swindon proudly celebrates 25 years of giving leftover paint a new purpose. Hosted by Swindon Children’s Scrapstore, the scheme collects full and partially used paint from traders, retailers, and manufacturers that would otherwise go for disposal.

Available for around £2 per litre, this preloved paint offers an affordable, sustainable decorating option for the local community, making it easier for residents to transform their spaces while reducing waste.

Lady smiling holding paint tin aloft in front of shelves of tins of paint
Olivia McCann, CEO of Swindon Children’s Scapstore, who runs Community RePaint Swindon.

Olivia McCann, CEO of Swindon Childrens Scrapstore, say “Community RePaint is a simple solution to the problem of leftover paint. By reusing paint in our community, we can bring colour to the lives of those who need it the most, and help to protect the planet by preventing perfectly good paint from being disposed of.”

Over the past 25 years, Community RePaint Swindon has redistributed an estimated 60,500 litres of paint within the community. By diverting leftover paint from unnecessary disposal, the scheme has had a positive impact on both people and the planet.

In 2023, paint saved from waste from Community RePaint Swindon was used to create an inspiring mural on the wall of local Community boxing gym; Scrappers. Its a great example of how leftover paint can be utilised to brighten the community.

mural of two boxers primed for a match in black and white against a blue and red background
Mural at Scrappers Gym painted using leftover paint from Community RePaint Swindon

 

group of children pose in a boxing stance in front of mural in boxing gym
The community enjoying their mural at Scrappers Gym, painted with leftover paint from Community RePaint Swindon.

Olivia goes on to say: We are delighted to mark the occasion by running a Half-Term Half price sale on all our paint in order to encourage families and local people to benefit from reusing the leftover paint. This paint can be used to bring new life to homes, youth clubs, schools, playgroups and community halls throughout the town. We would like people who require paint to visit the Scrapstore and take advantage of this opportunity to save money by purchasing low-cost quality paint.”

If you’re looking for a sustainable and affordable way to redecorate your home or community space, use our postcode finder to find your local scheme.

Building a circular economy that works.

Understanding the Linear Economy and Its Environmental Impact

The current economic model in most Western countries is known as a ‘linear economy.’ This system operates by extracting raw materials from the Earth, using them for production, and then discarding them—often in a very short time frame. This approach is unsustainable for two major reasons:

  1. Finite Resources: The planet’s natural resources are limited, and we are consuming them at an unsustainable rate.
  2. Harmful Waste: The waste generated is often disposed of in ways that negatively impact the environment, such as through landfill or incineration, both of which contribute to pollution and ecological damage.

What is a Circular Economy and How Can It Help?

A circular economy aims to maximize the lifecycle of materials by reusing, repairing, remanufacturing, and recycling them. By reducing the need for raw materials and minimizing waste, this model helps address the environmental challenges posed by the linear economy.

How Community RePaint is Pioneering a Circular Economy in Paint

At Community RePaint, we are actively creating and promoting a circular economy within the paint industry. Here’s how we’re making it happen:

  1. Paint Reuse

Rather than treating leftover paint as waste destined for landfill or incineration (which has been illegal since 2011), we give it a second life. Leftover paint—whether full tins from businesses or half-used cans from homes and decorators—can be reused in various community projects. This reduces the demand for new paint and prevents unnecessary waste.

  1. Paint Remanufacturing: ReColour

Since 2016, we’ve been remanufacturing “waste” paint into a nearly-new product called ReColour. This paint is made from leftover paint collected at recycling centers across the UK. By rethinking waste, we’ve created a high-quality product that appeals to both large organizations and small projects, all while utilizing materials that would otherwise be discarded.

The Circular Journey of ReColour Paint

This unassuming container of ReColour paint means a great deal to us, and here’s why. This very container of ReColour paint was remanufactured out of ‘waste’ leftover paint, bought by an individual or project, to brighten their space. It’s leftover paint was then dropped off at a participating recycling centre, and returned back to the remanufacturing centre to be remanufactured again into ReColour to brighten another wall. It is a true circle where the ‘waste’ was prevented not just once, but again and again.

The Impact of a Circular Economy in Paint

A circular economy in the paint industry is crucial to reducing waste. Every year, over 50 million liters of paint are thrown away in the UK alone. At Community RePaint, our mission is to divert this waste, fully utilizing leftover paint for the benefit of people and the planet. By valuing materials and using them responsibly, we are helping to create a more sustainable future.

Why not reuse paint for your next project, and help us close the loop: find your local scheme.

Cornwall’s Beach Guardians go green!

Green Paint saved from waste by Community RePaint St Austell, cornwall, is used to refurbish a Mission Centre for environment education on the beach.

Beach Guardian CIC is a Community Interest Company based in Cornwall.It was co-founded by father and daughter duo: Rob and Marine Biologist Emily. They organise community beach cleans as well as conducting educational workshops within schools and other groups. Their aim is to connect people with the environment to improve health and well being of both people and planet.

This summer, having received funding from Prince William and his Duke of Cornwall’s Marine Environment Fund, they have refurbished their Mission Centre including a lick of green paint from Community RePaint Cornwall, St Austell.

Green Paint saved from waste by Community RePaint St Austell, cornwall, is used to refurbish a Mission Centre.

Rob writes; “We want to give a massive thanks to Carolyn from Prosperity Paint Hub who helped us with the paint that we needed. Their aim is to protect the environment and improve the wellbeing of people, and appearance of places, across the UK by diverting reusable leftover paint from disposal and redistributing it to community groups, local charities, families and individuals.’

Lady smiling with trolley full of paint, and shelves around her full of paint
Carolyn from Prosperity Paint Hub at her scheme at Community RePaint St Austell, Cornwall. All the paint has been saved from waste!

The green paint is not only green in colour, but also the sustainable choice too. The paint picked up from our Community RePaint schemes is all paint that has been saved from going to waste, it would have otherwise ended up in landfill or being incinerated.

Green Paint saved from waste by Community RePaint St Austell, cornwall, is used to refurbish a Mission Centre.

If you have a project that could use a lick of paint, why not choose to reuse? Find you local scheme here or if you ordering more than 60 litres or more, get our remanufactured paint delivered to your door.

Upcycling workshops for Neurodivergent Adults

After spending 39 years wondering why she struggled with certain things, and wasn’t like her neurotypical peers, Ruth received a formal Autism diagnosis, and found herself without adequate support.

Finding her full-time employment difficult to sustain, Ruth sought change in her life that would benefit her mental health. Having discovered that creativity, particularly upcycling furniture, gave her something positive to focus on, Ruth was determined to use this to support other Neurodivergent adults like herself as well as to improve her own sense of wellbeing.

With the help of Alice at ReMade Wigan , Ruth set up Reet Good Wood, a monthly creative workshop for Neurodivergent adults to learn and paint together in an accepting and calm environment. Their sessions are available to book via Eventbrite and are held in Leigh on the last Saturday of every month.

Alice from Remade Wigan is a stockist of ReColour chalk paint and introduced Ruth to ReColour and they are enjoying using ReColour chalky paint to transform furniture in their workshops. “It’s a great paint to work with…. It’s definitely my preferred chalky type paint” says Ruth.

ReColour chalk paint is manufactured from paint that has been saved from waste, and is a big part of our solution for reusing paint rather that seeing it go to landfill or being incinerated. It is environmentally friendly, affordable and great quality and has a large range of applications including upcycling furniture.

The attendees of Reet Good Wood workshops love the sessions, “I really enjoy these sessions and I always look forward to the next one. It’s great to be around other people who understand what it’s like to be Neurodivergent.”

Reet Good Wood is part of a collective of creative orgnaisations and independent shops at Leigh Spinners Mill. They have an open house event on Friday 6th September 2024 between 1pm and 6pm, where they’ll be showing round guests, offering full day payable workshop experiences, selling handmade wooden products and selling ReColour paint. If you’re local, why not pay them a visit?

Find out more about Reet Good Wood on their website.

If you’re interested in buying or stocking ReColour chalk paint, click here.

p-p-p-p-pick up a RePainted Penguin

 

Let’s start with your awesome design. Where did you start? 

There wasn’t a theme for this project, you just got a blank template and to come up with a design, and I was lucky enough to get chosen. My design imagines the black parts of a penguin as a mesmerizing galaxy, the small huddle of penguins on the stomach represent the species’ resilience, mirroring their ability to thrive in harsh climates. I like to think my design truly celebrates the penguins adventurous spirit.

 

We love that, and it really does! We understand you discovered Community Repaint on Instagram and decided to use recycled paints for your sculpture. Tell us more!

Yes, I came across Community Repaint on Instagram, and I thought it was such a brilliant idea. I needed a variety of paints for this project, and using recycled materials not only helped keep the costs down but also allowed me to contribute to environmental sustainability. There was an amazing variety of paints available, and I managed to save over £200 by purchasing the paints this way.

 

That’s fantastic! It’s great to see how environmental consciousness can be incorporated into art and it’s an amazing saving too. Does your penguin have a name? 

Yes! it’s Starlit Journey

Where can people find Starlit Journey the galactic penguin?

I’m very grateful to waddleofworcester and wildinart for letting me be part of this brilliant project. Anyone can walk the trail, there are 40 large penguins and 40 small penguins to find. The trail covers around 5 miles. People can download an app or buy a map from the Waddle of Worcester website: https://waddleofworcester.co.uk/

 

Brilliant. And how can people find put more about your work?

I have a website here where you can see some of my other work. Each piece I create is a reflection of my love for the animal kingdom.

Thank you Anne! It’s been great to hear all about your penguin project and the brilliant way you have used paint that you found at your local Community RePaint scheme to create a design so out of this world!

Inspired? Anyone can pick up affordable and sustainable paint for reuse at their nearest Community RePaint scheme, so discover your local scheme today.

13 new murals RePainted in London

 

The murals were designed in consultation with the various communities they are brightening.

Alice says;

“When living in London I worked as a community engagement officer for the Forest Recycling Project which was part of the national Community RePaint network. They provided people from low-income backgrounds with affordable paint. New household paint is very expensive and there is a loop hole that councils don’t make housing stock available to those most in need if they can’t afford to professionally decorate it. The paint project bypasses this issue allowing properties to be decorated at minimal cost.

Whilst working with Forest Recycling Project I started a mural project that used the saved household paints from going to landfill and repurposed it for street art, while at the same time promoting the Community Repaint scheme. I initiated and fundraised for the mural project as I thought the repaint scheme was wonderful but they had no budget for publicity so not enough people knew about it.

I ran design consultations and we completed over thirteen murals throughout London, painting many myself and working with different artists depending on what the community group wanted. Each one was designed in collaboration with the community who used the mural site. 

I loved this project as we enabled communities to have authorship over their environment together, saving paint from going to landfill while also improving the look and feel of areas of high social deprivation. All round Win!”

We love these murals, and the way they demonstrate just what can be achieved with preloved paint save from waste.

Alice Cunningham is a visual artist with a diverse practice working with a breadth of materials, renowned for her sculptural carvings and work in social engagement. Check out her website: www.alicecunningham.co.uk

Find out more about our East London scheme run by Forest Recycling Project. 

If you are looking for affordable paint locally: Click here to find your local scheme. 

30 Years of Community RePaint and counting!

A volunteer prepares donated paint for reuse at our scheme in Birmingham (Community repaint Sandwell and Soho)

Back in 1992, we were first made aware of the extent of the problem of paint waste in the UK. Following a pilot project in Leeds called The Waste Wagon, that was run by the Special Collections Research Group set up by Leeds City Council, to address issues with household hazardous waste.

The Waste Wagon project found that we tend to store large volumes of leftover, reusable paint in our sheds, garages and cupboards. As part of the project, this leftover paint was collected from householders, along with other DIY materials and hazardous items. At the end of the project, the paint was given to local charities and groups, which highlighted the demand for affordable paint amongst these organisations, as well as a need for individuals and families on low income.

Bradford RePaint manager Karen Hutchinson and volunteer Lawrence Knowles. Dulux sponsor community RePaint.

It was then, in 1993, that Community RePaint was born.

Community RePaint is managed by Resource Futures a B-Corp certified environmental consultancy working with the private, public and non-profit sectors to enable positive management of Resources.

Over the last thirty years, we have grown to have 75 schemes all over the UK saving paint from going to waste and redistributing it to their communities.Through out network 5.4 million litres of paint has been reused. We’re excited to see this grow and grow as we encourage people to reuse paint for their projects and donate their surplus paint to others in their community.

This year alone, 261,521 litres of paint have been collected with 213,977 litres reused, helping 1,578 organisations and 25,810 individuals add colour to their lives.

Community RePaint Workington uses their paint donations for rainbows painted during half term school activity sessions.

Since our inception, our work has been sponsored by Dulux. Peter Howard, their Sustainability and CSR Lead at AkzoNobel, commented: “With over 55 million litres of paint wasted each year, it’s clear we have to help more consumers to re-use and recycle their leftover paint wherever possible. We have been working with Community RePaint since its inception to put as much leftover paint as possible to its best use colouring lives and communities. Over the past 30 years we have worked to grow the network to 75 different schemes, helping to re-use over 5.4 million litres of paint.”

The Rugby Lions repaint their fences with our ReColour paint, remanufactured from leftover paint.

““It’s inspiring to see the amazing milestones the network has achieved, and we remain committed to supporting this hugely important initiative, whilst also working more widely with industry to increase the re-use and re-manufacture rate of decorative paint.”

A roll out of schemes open in Staffordshire, as part of Staffordshire County Council’s commitments to reduce waste.

This major milestone is a great opportunity to reflect on the amazing successes of our project. From finding a solution for leftover paint for councils, waste contractors, manufacturers and homes,  as well as providing the solution for affordable paint for communities, charities, schools families and individuals. We’re working hard to ensure that we end paint waste across the industry and brighten communities instead.

If you have surplus or leftover paint or need paint to redecorate your home, or community space, we can help.

If you are a trader, manufacturer, or retailer with leftover paint fill out this form to tell us about your paint. 

Pencil us in for your next painting project!

BEFORE: The garden lacked colour and personality, the weathered wood was in need of a RePaint!

Denise an artist and volunteer at Streetly Community Library, who designed the pencil fence transformation, got in touch to share the fantastic images and thank us for the paint.

Denise says: “I designed and painted all of the pencil fence and I designed the arrangement of colours for the big fence, it took around 14 days all voluntary, with a lot of rain too! Other volunteers painted the big fence and put the plants in”

Watch the tour here. 

Denise picked up all the preloved paint she needed for her project from Community Repaint Sandwell and Soho, who are based in Birmingham.

Following her visit to our scheme, Denise picked up approximately 50 litres of brightly coloured gloss paint for the pencils, as well as large quantities of paint suitable for painting the large fence panels in bright colours too.

 

Find out more about Community Repaint Sandwell and Soho here.

To find your closest Community RePaint scheme, search using your postcode here.