Tag: remanufactured

Community RePaint and AkzoNobel (Dulux) partnership goes to another level

AkzoNobel (Dulux) have been working with Community RePaint for over 20 years to address the issue of unused, surplus paint. This partnership has enabled our network of paint re-use schemes to develop and grow. Our 75 schemes redistribute over 300,000 litres of paint each year. Later this year we will launch our first ever remanufacturing hub at our scheme in Cambridge which is hosted by CCORRN. The remanufacturing hub has been developed in partnership with AkzoNobel, Newlife Paints and Resource Futures, who manage the Community RePaint Network. The aim is to redistribute the remanufactured paint to charities, community groups and individuals through the Community RePaint Network.

Likewise, the hub will provide larger quantities of unused paint to be collected and reprocessed. However this alone will not address the huge quantities of re-usable paint which enter the waste stream each year. AkzoNobel are calling for government and industry to work together and share expertise. This will help to make a difference to the environment and communities in the UK. In summary, the recommendations laid out in a report outline how manufacturers, consumers and government can collectively address the current barriers to paint re-use and remanufacturing.

More details about the launch can be found here.

New beginnings for old paint! Remanufacturing hub launched in Cambridgeshire

The hub was formally opened by the local MP for North East Cambridgeshire, Steven Barclay, with other representatives.

The technology behind the remanufacturing process has been developed by NewLife Paints Ltd and, through AkzoNobel’s ongoing sponsorship, has been licensed and funded to the Community RePaint Network. The process enables leftover and surplus or end of line paint to be collected and then remanufactured into new containers, with certain additions to ensure its longevity and quality. The Cambridgeshire Community RePaint scheme, at CCORRN, was selected to be the test bed for the new technology because of the established ongoing partnership between CCORRN, Cambridgeshire County Council and Amey, the council’s PFI waste management contractor.

Each year in the UK, up to 50 million litres of paint is thrown away either through landfill disposal or via incineration which is an expensive process. This paint is leftover or surplus to requirements from residents, paint manufacturers, DIY retailers, maintenance companies and waste contractors.

Over 50% of this paint is normally reusable and currently 75 Community RePaint schemes across the UK collect some of this paint and make it available for social reuse through community groups and families on low incomes. There is much more that needs to be done to prevent good, reusable paint from being wasted. The Cambridgeshire remanufacturing hub has plans to triple its capacity, collecting and remanufacturing a range of emulsions in neutral and pastel shades. This new remanufactured paint will then be sold at low cost to the community for social benefit.

Martin Pearse, Community RePaint Network Manager, said:

“Left over paint is a challenge for our industry due to its volume and disposal cost. But with our new remanufacturing hub, we are able to show how such paint can be transformed with the value captured and put to social good. This is an exciting next step for the wider paint industry as it continues its progress towards becoming more sustainable. We are delighted to work with AkzoNobel and Newlife Paints Ltd and applaud their foresight in bringing this technology from its R&D status to commercialisation. We look forward to rolling this out elsewhere.”

Marcus Pheasant, CCORRN CEO explained:

“Having the first hub here at CCORRN in March, Cambridgeshire is a tremendous accolade for the town and the county. It is testament to the small hardworking team of staff and volunteers who are constantly striving to improve access to reuse and recycling of resources for our community. We could not have done any of this without the support of our team, Cambridgeshire County Council, Amey, Community RePaint, AkzoNobel and Newlife Paints Ltd.  We are looking forward to helping more people make their community’s lives a little more colourful.”

Paint can be taken to Cambridgeshire County Council’s Household Recycling Centres at Witchford, March, Milton, St Neots, Thriplow and Wisbech where it will be collected for recycling. By the end of 2017, AkzoNobel and Community RePaint intend to have four hubs across the UK processing around 500,000 litres of paint.

David Cornish, Global Sustainability Manager (Resource Efficiency), AkzoNobel, commented:

“AkzoNobel is delighted that after a lot of hard work by all involved, the first Community RePaint remanufacturing centre is now operational in the UK. This is a major milestone in our 22-year relationship with Community RePaint, which will allow them to reuse even more leftover paint to brighten up local communities. In the future we aim to increase the number of these hubs across the UK, helping to save valuable resources and create a more circular economy for the paint industry.”

The Community RePaint Network is sponsored by AkzoNobel and managed by independent resource efficiency consultancy, Resource Futures – a partnership that goes back 22 years.

Sam Reeve, Operations Director, Resource Futures, added:

“We are delighted that the remanufacturing hub is now open and at the same time, ringing in the changes both for the paint and resource management industries. It is a first step towards a more circular economy for paint. Such developments don’t need to be big to start with; it’s the small actions that often have better impact that can be built on. It’s also a fantastic example of collaboration between several partners to deliver positive change.”

2015 a landmark year for Community RePaint

Community RePaint schemes collect unwanted, surplus paint and re-distribute it to individuals, families and communities in need, improving the wellbeing of people and the appearance of places across the UK. In 2015 over 432,000 litres were collected from householders, traders and paint manufacturers and redistributed to some 2,477 organisations and over 31,000 individuals. Across the UK 161 employees, 273 volunteers and 77 trainees contributed to the running of the schemes.

In December 2015, Community RePaint launched the first UK paint remanufacturing centre for social re-use at the Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network (CCORRN). The process enables leftover and surplus or end of line paint to be collected and then remanufactured into new containers, with certain additions to ensure its longevity and quality. The centre will remanufacture a range of emulsions which will be sold at low cost to the community for social benefit.

Reflecting on the landmark year, Martin Pearse, Network Manager commented:

“It’s great to see the network developing and strengthening each year, both in terms of the number of schemes across the UK and the achievements of each individual scheme. The launch of the remanufacturing centre is incredibly significant for the network. It simultaneously deals with the issue of waste paint, which is hard to dispose of, and the ability of people and groups with low incomes and budgets to improve their living and working environments.”

ReciproCity Wirral expands and opens Community RePaint’s second remanufacturing centre

The local building and DIY materials reuse centre, which takes surplus, unwanted products and supplies them into the local community for a fraction of their original cost, has just relocated to larger premises on Dock Road, Wallasey. It has also launched a new paint remanufacturing centre on site as part of the Community RePaint scheme.

Supported by AkzoNobel, the owners of Dulux, this Community RePaint centre is using pioneering technology to transform ‘waste’ paint into a brand new, quality paint product at a community friendly price. This process enables leftover and surplus paint to be collected, remanufactured and put into new containers.

Last year ReciproCity Wirral reused 50,000 litres of paint, and with the new remanufacturing process it is looking to vastly grow this number.

ReciproCity Wirral sells products for around 25-30% of retail price, and customers range from charities and community organisations to members of the local community looking to brighten up their home.

Michael Close, ReciproCity Wirral Operations Manager, said:

“We are over the moon to have moved to these new premises. We can accept even more stock, which keeps it out of landfill, and can help even more of the local community. With the launch of our new paint remanufacturing centre we’re hoping to create more jobs and work experience opportunities too.”

Matt Pullen, UK Managing Director of AkzoNobel UK & Ireland said:

“British households throw away 55 million litres of paint every year, but over half of this paint is good enough to reuse. This innovative scheme is leading our industry in reducing the amount of paint currently entering the waste stream, as well as having a transformative impact, alongside Community RePaint, by colouring the lives of those who can least afford it.”

Martin Pearse, Community RePaint Network Manager, said:

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with AkzoNobel and Newlife Paints on the roll-out of this innovative remanufacturing technology. This fantastic new facility will help us to create more social value from previously wasted paint. This coincides with Sustainable Living Month, which will be celebrated with events at Community RePaint schemes across the UK.”