A painter and decorator from East Sussex has taken a pledge to help drive down waste as part of a pioneering initiative run by the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA).
Absolute Painting and Decorating, based in Hailsham, has taken the PDA’s Paint Green Pledge – a commitment to reduce, reuse or recycle excess paint and containers year-on-year.
An estimated 55 million litres of waste paint is generated each year in the UK – and much of it ends up in landfill or being disposed of as hazardous waste.
It’s believed that only around two percent of left-over decorative paint is reused or remanufactured.
The PDA’s Paint Green initiative encourages Association members to commit to reducing waste by taking up existing recycling schemes and recording their efforts year-on-year.
Alan Jones at Absolute Painting and Decorating said: “I signed up to Paint Green straight away. I’ve been recycling paint containers for around five years and an initiative that encourages others in the industry to do the same is something we really need.
“It’s a really easy decision to make. Recycling containers makes so much more sense than just throwing them into the ground. It’s also usually free, so it’s good for the business and for the environment.
“We already use mostly water-based paints as well and we’re looking at other ways to be more environmentally friendly.”
PDA Chief Executive Neil Ogilvie said: “Absolute Painting and Decorating was among the first PDA members to take the Paint Green Pledge, placing them at the forefront of the drive towards more sustainable working practices.
“The initiative aims to encourage PDA members to tackle waste as a first step towards systemic change that benefits their businesses and communities.
“PDA members are trained, trusted professionals who commit to do a quality job at a reasonable price – and our Paint Green members are taking extra steps to help protect our planet, so why choose anyone else?
‘Householders can find out about the PDA, Paint Green and more at: www.paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk.’
For details about Absolute Painting and Decorating, visit: Home (absolutepaint.co.uk)