Paintback

Foundation Member | Tracking Since November 2022

Paintback Sustainability Actions

Tackling Paint and Packaging Recycling - Collaborative Research Program

One of our primary aims is to recover 90% of unwanted paint and packaging and transform them for use in Australia’s circular economy - where products are re-used or repurposed for other manufacturing or industry processes to keep them circulating instead of being discarded permanently. Paintback has launched a five-pronged R&D program to explore new uses for unwanted paint and packaging in Australia. Partnering with organisations like the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub, Smartcrete CRC, Sustainability Victoria, and universities such as Monash and RMIT, the program aims to: 1. Repurpose contaminated plastic paint pails into valuable products. 2. Extract high-value chemicals from water-based paint. 3. Test paint’s potential in creating low-emission geopolymer concrete. 4. Substitute paint for some virgin admixtures in concrete. 5. Develop high-performance composites from plastic pails combined with waste materials like glass and carbon for construction. You can find out more about the research by visiting our website.

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What happens to the paint and packaging at Paintback?

1. DIY and trade painters can drop off their unwanted paint and packaging at any of the 169 Paintback locations across Australia. Paintback accepts up to 100 litres per visit stowed in containers of up to 20 litres. 2. The unwanted paint and packaging are stored at the collection point ready for Paintback to pick up. 3. Paintback transports it from the collection point for treatment. The packaging and liquid are separated. 4. The containers are recycled, subject to contamination. The solvent paint is used as an alternative energy source. Water is separated from acrylic paint, with the by-product used in a variety of industrial applications significantly reducing landfill. 5. Our R&D program aims to improve resource recovery to 90% diversion from landfills and movement up the waste hierarchy.

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Paintback’s Mission to Recycle: Over 56 Million kgs of paint and packaging repurposed

Paintback has diverted over 60 million kg of unwanted paint and packaging from landfills and waterways, repurposing them into reusable resources. One of their latest innovations is a 100% recycled, Australian-made 4L multi-purpose bucket made from used plastic paint pails. The Paintback bucket is now available at select Bunnings Warehouses nationwide while stocks last.

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Launching the Paint Circular Economy Headquarters (PaCE HQ)

We’re building a new Paint Circular Economy Headquarters (PaCE HQ) that will allow us to handle dedicated end-to-end sorting and separation of the paint and packaging we collect, and convert it into re-usable materials. Transporting these materials to one location instead of around to different locations and keeping the entire process under one roof will allow us to keep our environmental impact as low as possible. With our new facility, we will be able to better research and develop new ways to improve the repurposing of paint and its packaging and discover new possibilities for reusable resources.

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Awareness

Promote education and awareness for Paintback and the responsible disposal of unwanted paint and packaging.

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Circular Economy

We are working to recover 90 per cent of unwanted paint and packaging and transform them for use in Australia’s circular economy – where products are re-used or repurposed for other manufacturing or industry processes to keep them circulating instead of being discarded permanently.

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About Paintback

  • Status
  • Employees
  • 5 - 25
  • Industry
  • Environmental Services
  • Country
  • Australia
  • Founded
  • 2016