New leash on life for Dulux paint products

The Australian Government has accredited Dulux’s recycling and remanufacturing scheme for used plastic paint pails, packaging and other paint related material—Dulux Project Earth.

The product stewardship arrangement will collect and recycle these end-of-life products and remanufacture them into valuable new products like roller trays and paint stirrers.

Dulux estimates that 1,000 tonnes, or 22,000 cubic metres of plastic waste, will be diverted from landfill each year. It will also reduce the amount of virgin plastics used in over 50,000 remanufactured products.

Product stewardship goes above and beyond recycling and considers how the development, design, manufacture, import, sale, use and recovery of materials and products can be adjusted to improve environmental outcomes. Industry leadership through product stewardship action is critical to Australia’s transition to a circular economy.

The accreditation of Dulux Project Earth follows the recently announced formation of a Ministerial Advisory Group for the Circular Economy.

This group will advise government on strategies to get more value from resources used across the economy, and the wider opportunities for Australia through the transition to a circular economy.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek:

“I’m pleased to see a well-known brand like Dulux with a long history in Australia improving environmental and sustainability outcomes through its commercial operations.

“This scheme is a strong example of best practice product stewardship and demonstrates how industry can contribute to achieving Australia’s recycling and waste reduction goals and our transition to a circular economy.

“An industry-led stewardship approach is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to reduce a product’s impact on the environment.

“Dulux is keeping its waste out of landfill and its paint materials in use. In doing so, it is reducing the amount of oil it uses and its carbon dioxide emissions. Actions like this support our transition to a circular economy."