Britain’s households stash 17 part used paint cans

The Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association is urging the public to take their metal paint cans for recycling after research found that Britain’s households are hoarding 17 part used paint cans each on average.

Britain’s households have 17 part used paint cans each on average and half of these are estimated to be made of metal equating to 39,500 tonnes of scrap metal which could be potentially all be recycled.

The problem is many householders don’t know what to do with the paint left in them.  The Association recommends a number of ways including being donated to local repaint schemes or soaked up in absorbent material like sand and then disposed of.

Nick Mullen, MPMA’s chief executive said: “Why not take your empty metal paint can hoard, to your recycling centre and free up some overlooked storage space?”

In Shropshire you can take unwanted paint to any of the main Household Recycling Centres for disposal and (empty) metal paint tins can be recycled in the scrap metal area.