Household waste paint in Manitoba : an assessment of the feasibility of management alternatives

• Main Author: McMaster, Jason
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/7833

The subject of this research is the management of household waste paint in Manitoba. Proper management of this waste stream is important for a number of reasons. First, the chemical properties of household waste paint are similar to products which when used in industry are regulated as hazardous wastes, controlled products and/or dangerous goods by provincial and federal regulators. Second, because nearly all households will at some point generate waste paint, this material has the potential to become prevalent in the municipal waste stream if management controls are not in place. Both of these reasons suggest a threat to the environment, thereby making the sustainable management of household waste paint desirable for many jurisdictions including Manitoba. In an effort to determine an optimal, sustainable method for the management of household waste paint for Manitoba, three case studies have been undertaken. The first, Manitoba, provides some contextual details and assesses whether change is necessary in the province. The second, Minnesota, is a review of a state-run program in which household waste paint is one component of a larger household hazardous waste (HHW) program. The final case study, British Columbia provides the details of how a product stewardship model has been applied to household waste paint. These jurisdictions provide a contrast in approaches and range of both financial and organizational commitment with varying degrees of success. Based on comparative analysis of these case studies which include current best practices, this research finds that indeed, the current Manitoba system for household waste paint management requires change to eliminate unsustainable practices and the environmental damage that results from such practices...