Resene PaintWise Q&A

A.  Unwanted paint and paint packaging can be returned to designated Resene ColorShops as part of the Resene PaintWise programme. Good quality Resene paint will be gifted to community groups, cans will be recycled. The aim is to help people responsibly dispose of unwanted paint and paint packaging minimising the amount going to landfill. The Resene PaintWise program is managed by the Resene Foundation, a non-profit trust, and all levies and fees are paid to the Foundation.

A.  The Resene Foundation is a non-profit trust responsible for managing the Resene PaintWise program and for distributing any surpluses to worthy charities or to use the funds to extend the Resene PaintWise service further. All levies and fees are paid to the Resene Foundation together with Resene funding to pay for the significant costs of running the program. Resene Paints Ltd contributes significant funds to the Resene Foundation to help pay for the service and does not receive any revenue or profit from the service.

A.  Responsibly disposing of paint and paint packaging has become increasingly difficult in many areas with these items often not accepted in the kerbside rubbish collections or at many transfer stations. Metal cans, which are easily recycled, have usually been thrown away because residents in many areas haven't had other options. Resene saw the need to provide New Zealanders with an easy way to return unwanted paint and paint packaging so that as much of it as possible could be recycled and reused rather than being left in garages and sheds to deteriorate or hidden amongst household rubbish. Resene is New Zealand owned and operated with over 700 staff in New Zealand. Like other New Zealanders we are keen to preserve our environment for future generations.

A.  Paint/paint packaging will be accepted at selected ColorShops who will be known as PaintWise Collection Centres during opening hours. Paint/paint packaging cannot be accepted by any other ColorShops. There are over 50 drop off points all over New Zealand The current list of ColorShops is available online or check store posters/brochures.

A.  No, only the designated ColorShops can receive unwanted paint and paint packaging. Other stores do not have the facilities to handle and store the paint safely.

A.  We accept:

• Any brand of waterborne paint and paint packaging.
• Any brand of solventborne paint and paint packaging.
• Any brand of empty paint cans/pails/lids.
• View the Resene PaintWise acceptance list.

A.  No, only accepted paint and paint packaging can be left with the store. You will be asked to take away any non-conforming items.

A.  There is no charge on Resene branded paint and paint containers at the time of return for retail customers.

Non-Resene branded paint: $5 per 4L pack or smaller, $10 for 4L or over per pack.

A small Resene PaintWise levy of 25c per litre is charged on retail paint purchases from Resene ColorShops to help fund the service. This PaintWise levy will appear at the bottom of your receipt and is calculated by multiplying the number of paint litres purchased by 25c per litre. This fee does not cover the cost of the PaintWise service but is a contribution towards the cost. This fee is generally less than 1% of the cost of the paint (for example the PaintWise levy is 12.5c per 500ml, 25c per 1L, 50c per 2L, 1.00c per 4L, $2.50 per 10L).

A.  The PaintWise levy is compulsory on all retail purchases. If you wish to bring back non-Resene branded paint the non-Resene branded paint charges must be paid. The service is run by The Resene Foundation trust, which is funded on an ongoing basis solely by PaintWise levies and fees and Resene.

A.  Trade customers are charged a small levy on all purchases of Resene paints (25c/L from 1 January 2024). Trade customers can return Resene branded paints with no return fee. Non Resene products will be charged at $5 per 4L pack or smaller, $10 for 4L or over per pack.

Maximum of 20 cans/packs per day.

A contractor service calling to the contractor's site is available. $100 + GST to arrange site visit PLUS the Non-Resene branded paint charges above. Contact your Resene ColorShop who can pass on your details to our service contractor 3R to arrange an appointment. Limited contractor site visit times do apply depending on the PaintWise truck pick-up schedule.

A.  No. The PaintWise levy is a set at 25c per litre. If there is a sale or discount running the price of the paint will be reduced and the normal PaintWise levy will apply.

A.  The Resene ColorShop collects the unwanted paint and paint packaging. A mobile PaintWise truck regularly visits the PaintWise Collection Centres to process the paint returns. Good quality Resene waterborne paint is supplied to community groups free of charge, metal cans and plastic packaging will be recycled, solventborne paint will be sent to solvent recovery to extract all solvents for reuse by other companies, other waterborne paint will be onsupplied for uses such as council/community anti-graffiti work or for use in developing building materials or other materials by other companies. The unusable paint will be stabilised and sent to landfill.

The paint will not be remixed nor sold in Resene ColorShops. Resene have no plans to make a recycled paint for sale in our stores as we believe this will undermine the quality of the paint to consumers, creating a greater burden on the environment as we mix high quality virgin materials and lower quality recycled paints, compromising the potential of the ingredients and breaking down faster once on the substrate.

A.  Ensure paint is in its original correctly labelled container.

Place any containers that may leak into a plastic bag or box.

Leave small amounts of waterborne paint in its container, put out of reach of children and leave the lid off for the paint to dry then bring it to a Resene ColorShop PaintWise Collection Centre.

Bring your unwanted paint and paint packaging to a Resene ColorShop PaintWise Collection Centre during normal opening hours.

A.  Visit www.resene.co.nz/paintwise.

A.  Bring the unwanted paint or paint packaging up to the main counter. The staff will then count the products being returned and process it through our POS system and give you a receipt. This is how we track what paint has been returned. The information is fed daily to the truck pickup service so that they know how much product is sitting in a store. Due to a quirk in the electronic system which only processes items with a set value Resene branded paint returns will show as 0.01c each - this will not be charged to the customer but will be reversed out by shop staff when they reconcile the shop banking.

Shop staff will then take the paint away and sort it into Resene waterborne community paint, other waterborne paint and solventborne paint ready for the Resene PaintWise truck driver to collect on their next visit.

You must stay with the paint or paint packaging you have brought into the store until a Resene ColorShop staff member is available to assist you to process the returns.

A.  Please fill out the community paint registration form online.

A.  No, Resene ColorShops must account for all paint and paint packaging received to The Resene Foundation. The Resene Foundation decides which community groups will receive this paint. If you are interested in receiving paint from the service for your community group, please fill out the community paint registration form online.

A.  Visit www.resene.co.nz/paintwise.htm or ask your local Resene ColorShop staff for a copy of the Be PaintWise brochure.

All services to date have been established with the assistance of the local councils in each area, the Ministry for the Environment and 3R.

For more information check out these pages:

• Community groups - apply for free paint
• Environmental Choice product range
• How to clean brushes and rollers
• PaintWise Collection Centres
• Online paint calculator
• Reduce, reuse and recycle