Community RePaint wins national award for paint reuse

Community RePaint has been named Reuse Initiative of the Year at the 2026 Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management, recognising more than three decades of action to stop usable paint going to waste and putting it to work in local communities.

The Awards, widely regarded as the UK’s most prestigious accolades for the waste, recycling, reuse and circular economy sectors, took place in London on 13th May. Hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr, the ceremony celebrated innovation, leadership and outstanding achievement across the industry.

The Reuse Initiative of the Year Award honours projects that repurpose materials in creative ways while engaging and empowering communities. Judges assessed entries on their creativity, impact and outreach, with Community RePaint standing out for its scale, longevity and social value.

Across the UK, around 50 million litres of the 400 million litres of paint sold each year goes to waste. That is enough to fill 20 Olympic swimming pools. Community RePaint exists to change that. Since the network began, 6.6 million litres of leftover paint has been diverted from landfill or incineration and given a second life, brightening homes, community spaces and public buildings.

Sponsored by Dulux and managed by Resource Futures, Community RePaint is the UK’s largest paint reuse network, with over 150 member organisations. It works in partnership with local authorities, manufacturers, retailers and businesses to collect usable leftover paint and redistribute it where it is needed most.

Local authority engagement continues to grow. Essex, for example, now hosts Community RePaint schemes in six household waste and recycling centres, with more planned. In 2025 alone, 12,000 litres of paint were donated through these sites, making it easy for residents to donate or pick up free paint as part of everyday recycling visits.

Community RePaint was shortlisted alongside several inspiring reuse projects, including Supreme Creations and British Airways, Circular&Co., Freegle, Kent County Council and FCC Environment, Lincolnshire County Council, Oxfam Ireland, Plan B Management Solutions, PropUp Project, Sarah Turner Eco Art & Design, Veolia, and fellow nominee The Fixy Project.

Visit the Community RePaint website to learn more about the project, or contact Jude King for a chat about paint reuse.