National Paint Reuse Network Launched

‘Bringing Colour To Communities’

An initiative to encourage paint reuse and support local communities

The National Paint Reuse Network was launched this morning by Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Gillian Coughlan, with a paint party at the community-run Centre of Excellence for Climate Action and Sustainability (CECAS) in Leap, County Cork.

Each year, Ireland exports 2,000 tonnes of surplus paint unnecessarily for incineration. The National Paint Reuse Network aims to cut down this waste by encouraging paint reuse through redistribution to local community initiatives like CECAS.

Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan commented, “This initiative will encourage paint reuse while supporting the community and social enterprise.

For example, at today’s launch paint party, reused paint will be used to recolour and revitalise some of the buildings at the wonderful community initiative CECAS. In turn, this supports jobs, avoids waste and makes communities not just in Cork but throughout the country more vibrant and pleasant places to live in.”

 

The Network, set up by Rediscovery Centre, Dublin supported by Ireland’s three main waste management planning offices, will provide training and best practice guidance on the reuse and remixing of water based paint while also facilitating networking and collaboration between members.

 

Roger Warburton, Programme Director at Rediscover Centre, Dublin at Rediscovery Centre, Dublin stated; “We have been working on paint reuse in Ballymun since 2007 and are delighted to facilitate the model being replicated across the country. We set up the network to support new projects to get off the ground, build a support network, provide technical expertise that encourages more paint reuse across the country and provide used paint for people to buy and locations for paint they cannot use to be donated. We’d encourage any organisation or local authority interested in paint reuse to get in touch.”

 

While tapping into the underutilized resource of quality paints, which would otherwise have been  disposed of, the Paint Reuse Network provides quality paint at a great price. The reused paint produced is non-hazardous and water based for internal use on walls and ceilings and the quality paints are available in a range of colours that can be tailored to individual needs. The small cost per litre contributes to the cost of providing paint for reuse services across Irish communities, reducing the environmental impact of paint disposal in Ireland. It allows paint reuse organisations to provide ongoing training opportunities within their communities.

 

Philippa King of the Southern Region Waste Management Planning Office, which is one of three regional offices supporting this initiative, commented that “Our role as the regional authorities is to help householders and communities to reduce, reuse and recycle. We are delighted to support this paint reuse network, and thereby help to keep quality paint in circulation for longer, reduce the demand for new paint and avoid unnecessary hazardous waste disposal. This contributes to a more circular economy, while at the same time ‘Bringing Colour to Communities’.”

 

Full membership to the Paint Reuse Network is open to any group, individual or organisation operating a paint reuse initiative within Ireland who are committed to the values and vision of the network. Network members are provided with networking, training, technical guidance, policy and legislative support, communications & business development.

 

For more information about the network and how to purchase or donate paint, visit www.paintreuse.network or search hashtag  #PaintReuseIrl on social media networks.