Yampa Valley residents are taking advantage of free paint recycling services through the nonprofit PaintCare organization, including dropping off almost 20,000 pounds of paint for proper disposal on June 22 in Steamboat Springs.

According to PaintCare, 203 vehicles came through the drop-off line at the June recycling event at Steamboat Springs Middle School parking lot to recycle 16,373 pounds of latex and 3,496 pounds of oil-based products. In addition, PaintCare gave away 38 gallons of paint to community members.

In 2023, PaintCare collected 8,117 gallons of leftover paint in Moffat and Routt counties. Last year was a record year for PaintCare in Colorado collecting 807,872 gallons of paint. Since 2015, PaintCare has helped Coloradans recycle more than 6 million gallons of paint, stain and varnish.

PaintCare collects from two year-round drop-off sites in Steamboat Springs at Sherwin-Williams on Anglers Drive and Steamboat Ace Hardware at Curve Plaza.

Funded by small fees charged through paint stewardship laws when consumers buy new paint at stores, PaintCare sets up drop-off locations for leftover paint, arranges for recycling and proper disposal, and conducts public education.

“While sales on new paint were down in 2023, the increased amount of paint collected tells us that paint recycling continues to be an important tenet of recycling for Coloradans,” said Kevin Lynch, PaintCare Colorado program manager.

PaintCare offers free direct pickups to businesses, organizations and households with 100 gallons or more of leftover paint. Items that can be collected include most house paints, primers, stains, sealers and clear top coatings of varnish and shellac with more information at PaintCare.org.