PORTLAND, OR – In honor of Earth Day and the nation’s first paint recycling program, Portland Mayor Sam Adams declared April 22, 2011, National Paint Recycling Day.

PaintCare is a non-profit organization in charge of administering the state-legislated paint recycling program that requires paint manufacturers to safely manage leftover latex and oil-based paint from consumer and contractor painting projects.

The program also educates consumers on the importance of buying the correct amount of paint, increasing reuse and proper management of useable paint, and proper disposal of remaining unusable paint. In addition, there is a network of paint collection sites where the public can bring leftover paint for recycling, reuse and energy recovery.

It is estimated that the lack of national awareness about proper paint storage and disposal will result in 75 million gallons of paint being disposed of in landfills.