2025 marks a significant milestone for paint product stewardship in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Paint Stewardship Program are celebrating 15 years of operation. The stewardship organization, PaintCare, has successfully collected 10 million gallons of leftover paint in Oregon. This achievement is important because leftover paint makes up the largest volume of materials collected by local household hazardous waste programs. It is estimated that 10% of the more than 7.5 million gallons of architectural paint sold each year in Oregon goes unused.
PaintCare’s stewardship aims to increase opportunities to manage leftover paint properly, offering convenient disposal locations throughout the state where households and businesses can drop off their leftover paint free of charge.
As of July 1, 2025, the Oregon Paint Stewardship Program has accomplished the following:
- Created 187 year-round drop-off sites
- Collected over 10 million gallons of paint
- Hosted 80 PaintCare drop-off events
- Managed paint from more than 850 events
- Conducted more than 725 large-volume pickups
With a focus on accessibility, community engagement, and responsible waste management, the program enables Oregonians to recycle paint responsibly. Click here to view statewide drop-off locations or upcoming collection events.
To learn more, visit DEQ’s program webpage or PaintCare’s webpage.
By Rachel Harding, DEQ Materials Management Program Analyst