Resene PaintWise service questions and answers
Get PaintWise with Resene and we'll all benefit from a healthier environment

Q. What is Resene PaintWise?
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 charitable trust, and all levies and fees are paid to the Foundation.

Q. What is the Resene Foundation?
A. The Resene Foundation is a non-profit charitable 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.

Q. Why has Resene introduced the Resene PaintWise 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.

Q. Where can paint and paint packaging be dropped off?
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.

Q. Can paint be taken back to other ColorShops?
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.

Q. What type of paint and paint packaging can be dropped off?
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.
We cannot accept anything else.

Q. Can I leave items not accepted with the store?
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.

Q. What items are not accepted?
A. We cannot accept: Paint thinners, solvents, aerosols or any other materials. Dispose of these at a HazMobile collection (see www.hazmobile.govt.nz for details) or contact your local council.

Q. I'm a retail customer. What does the Resene PaintWise service cost me?
A. There is no charge on Resene branded paint and paint containers at the time of return for retail customers.

Non-Resene branded paint: 4L or under: $1.00 per can/pail. 10L and over: $2.50 per can/pail.

A small Resene PaintWise levy of 15c 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 15c 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 7.5c per 500ml, 15c per 1L, 30c per 2L, 60c per 4L, $1.50 per 10L).

Q. I'm a retail customer. Can I choose not to pay the PaintWise levy or recovery fees?
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 Tthe Resene Foundation charitable trust, which is funded on an ongoing basis solely by PaintWise levies and fees and Resene.

Q. I'm a trade customer. What does the Resene PaintWise service cost me?
A. Charges only apply to trade customers when they return unwanted paint or paint packaging.

Resene branded paint and packaging - non-Resene branded paint charges apply. Trade customers do not pay the Paintwise Levy therefore they must pay the recovery fee if they bring paint/paint packaging in no matter what brand.

Non-Resene branded paint: 4L or under: $1.00 per can/pail. 10L and over: $2.50 per can/pail.

Maximum of 25 cans/packs per day.

NO Resene PaintWise levy is charged on purchases.

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.

Q. During sale periods is the PaintWise levy discounted?
A. No. The PaintWise levy is a set at 15c 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.

Q. What happens with the paint and packaging dropped off?
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.

Q. What do I need to do when planning to drop off unwanted paint and paint packaging?
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.

Q. How do I find out the opening hours for the Resene ColorShop PaintWise Collection Centres?
A. Visit www.resene.co.nz/paintwise.htm, WAP 737363.com on your WAP enabled cellphone or contact your local Resene ColorShop PaintWise Collection Centre.

Q. What happens when I bring unwanted paint or paint packaging into the store?
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.

Q. I am part of a community group. How do I register that we would like to receive some of the community paint?
A. Pick up the community paint registration form from any Resene ColorShop and return to Resene Marketing, PO Box 38242, Wellington Mail Centre or register online.

Q. Can I contact my nearest Resene ColorShop PaintWise Collection Centre and ask them to give me some of the paint they have collected?
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 pick up the community paint registration form from any Resene ColorShop and return to Resene Marketing, PO Box 38242, Wellington Mail Centre or register online.

Q. How do I find out more information?
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

Get PaintWise with Resene and we'll all benefit from a healthier environment.