The Master Painter Australia - April 2016 Vol. 1 | Page 28

THE MASTER PAINTER AUSTRALIA 028 Sustainability and the environment What will we do with waste paint? The Australian Paint Manufacturers’ Federation (APMF) believes that because around half of waste paint in Australia is disposed of improperly there is a need for more extensive and more widely used disposal options for waste paint. The (APMF) sought authorization from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) to impose a levy of up to 15 cents per litre (plus GST) on the supply of certain architectural and decorative paint and wood-care products (together, A&D paints).The ACCC has recently approved the application and agreed to the imposition of the levy from 1 June 2016 until 2021. The levy will be a part of a National Paint Product Stewardship Scheme (the Scheme), which will provide a nationally co-ordinated approach to the collection and proper disposal of A&D paints. The funds collected by the levy will be received by a new company, Paint Stewardship Limited to fund the Scheme. One of the main components of the Scheme will be to contract with state, territory and local governments and waste service providers for the collection and safe disposal of waste A&D paint. The ACCC considers that the introduction of the Scheme as funded through the levy is likely to produce environmental benefits by increasing the collection of waste A&D paint in Australia and reducing its improper disposal. There are also likely to be cost efficiencies from decreasing the cost of disposal of waste A&D paint in Australia. The following APMF members will be signatories to the Waste Paint Agreement at its launch and it is expected that other suppliers will take part in the scheme •D  ulux Group (Australia) Pty Ltd •P  PG Industries Australia Pty Ltd • Henry Haymes Pty Ltd • Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd • Resene Paints (Australia) Ltd Participating companies will include the levy in the wholesale price of A&D paint they supply and expect that the cost of the levy will be passed on by retailers to domestic and trade consumers. Product covered by the Scheme Product not covered by the Scheme •Interior and exterior architectural paint • I ndustrial maintenance coatings •M  elamine, metal and rust preventative •D  eck coatings and floor paints •O  riginal equipment manufacturer (eg car manufacturing) and industrial surface coating (shop application) paints and finishes •C  aulking compounds, epoxies, glues or adhesives •P  rimers, undercoats and sealers • Stains and shellacs •V  arnishes and urethanes (single component) • Wood coatings • Aerosol paints • Automotive paints • Anti-fouling coatings • Colorants and tints • Resins •P  aint thinners, mineral spirits or solvents • Paint additives • Roof patch or repair •T  ar-based or bitumenbased solvents • 2-component coatings • Traffic paints s Painter Master ia is Austral been o have proud t with this d involve ive since itiat great in eption. its conc • Texture coatings • Bagged renders • Isocyanates • Metal Coatings • Paint Washings