Maryland PaintCare Program Becomes 13th State-Wide Paint Recycling Program

 

Contractors, households, and businesses in Maryland can now recycle their leftover paint with PaintCare! PaintCare is a nonprofit organization that plans and operates paint stewardship programs in states and jurisdictions that have passed the paint stewardship law. The Maryland PaintCare program launched on April 1, 2026, making it the thirteenth jurisdiction to pass paint stewardship legislation. With the addition of Maryland, PaintCare now serves one-third of the U.S. population.

 

PaintCare operates a network of over 100 drop-off sites across the state where contractors, households, and businesses can recycle their leftover paint at no additional cost. Most drop-off sites are located at local paint retailers, making it convenient for Marylanders to responsibly dispose of their leftover paint. To find a drop-off site near you, visit the drop-off site locator on PaintCare’s website.

 

Painting contractors are encouraged to utilize the PaintCare program. PaintCare offers a large volume pickup (LVP) service, which provides free pickups of 100 gallons or more of eligible paint products. Painting contractors can use this service to responsibly dispose of leftover paint that has been accumulated from previous jobs. Large volume pickups can be requested through the large volume pickup request form.

 

The paint stewardship law requires a fee, called the PaintCare fee, to be added to the purchase price of new paint. The fee is based on container size and funds all aspects of the program. This includes paint collection and recycling, consumer education, and program administration. Painting contractors are encouraged to keep this fee in mind when preparing quotes and to pass the fee to their customers, ensuring a level playing field for everyone who uses paint.

 

The PaintCare fee in Maryland is as follows:

Container Size Fee Amount
Half pint or smaller $0.00
Larger than half pint up to smaller than 1 gallon $0.50
1 gallon up to 2 gallons $1.15
Larger than 2 gallons up to 5 gallons $2.25

To learn more about PaintCare and the Maryland PaintCare program, please visit http://www.paintcare.org or reach out to PaintCare at info@paint.org.

 

PaintCare Inc., a nonprofit organization, continues to expand its reach through partnerships with organizations including the FCA. PaintCare sets up drop-off locations for leftover paint, arranges for recycling and proper disposal, and conducts public education. More than 88 million gallons of architectural paint products have been managed by PaintCare in 12 states and the District of Columbia. Together, painting contractors have convenient opportunities to dispose of leftover paint, keeping it out of the waste stream and out of their storage spaces.