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A creative solution to the problem of waste paint |
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12 May 2014, 9:16 PM
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When Alan Phillips needed a fresh challenge, he used his extensive experience in the paint industry to help with the widely ignored problem of discarded paint.
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According to the Environment Agency approximately 50 million litres of paint is either incinerated or sent to land fill each year, yet much of this discarded paint can be recycled and reused.
After starting his career with John Keeps in the late 1970’s, Alan worked for Berger and Dulux in the UK and Africa. He has gained experience in all aspects of the industry, including the chemistry of paint, sales, marketing, distribution, budgeting, and managing a workforce. His 35 years of knowledge gave him the background to manufacture a wide range of products from discarded paint.
Green Farm Paints was set up in October 2013, in a small industrial unit on the outskirts of the Dorset town of Gillingham. The Company is one of a small group of businesses who recycle paint, there is one other in the UK, two in the US and one in Canada. Green Farm Paints collect paint from Dorset’s 12 main recycling centres and bring it to their factory in Gillingham, where it is sorted and recycled.
Alan is reluctant to reveal the Chemistry of his processes but he’s open about the basic principles of the techniques used. The aim is to group chemically similar products together in a batch and like a chef work out what is required to create the finished product. At present 90% of paint they receive is recycled, including Undercoat, Gloss, Emulsion, Varnish’s, Fence Paint and Primers.
The finished products contain at least 95% discarded paint, the containers contain 25% recycled plastic and the label contains 100% recycled paper. For the environmentally conscious consumer it would be hard for these products to tick more green boxes. Quality control is extremely important to Alan, he believes that by using his companies products the customer should not be compromising on quality, the excellence of the paint should shine through. Green Farm has already had positive testimonials from delighted customers.
There is a great willingness in the UK to recycle, whether via weekly doorstep collections or through the local recycling centre. Almost everything from batteries, shoes, glass and food waste can be recycled or re-used. Despite this the paint industry has so far been slow to tackle the issue of discarded paint.
In the UK we buy in the region of 300 million litres of paint each year, the industry is dominated by powerful multi-nationals dealing with volume sales to trade professionals and the general public. The logistical issues of paint recycling make it uneconomical for these larger companies to get involved. This has left a gap in the market for a small, flexible business with the expertise to handle these logistical issues.
The general public believes that if they take unwanted paint to a recycling centre it will be recycled. However, in Dorset as in the majority of counties in the UK, up until last year, this was not the case. Incineration and Landfill waste disposal solutions both have huge effects on the wider environment, by potentially releasing volatile organic compounds into the air and polluting land.
Green Farm paints is producing products for the environmentally conscientious consumer, with prices up to 40% less than other brands in the marketplace.
Green Farm Paints offers its customers three great advantages.
• An excellent quality product.
• Prices up to 40% cheaper than other brands.
• An Environmentally friendly product, which helps reduce the amount of discarded paint sent to landfill and the amount of harmful emissions from incineration.
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