Last week, Metro signed a significant new contract with Miller Paint, a business based in my district, for the distribution of MetroPaint. This collaboration highlights a successful public-private partnership that supports our economy while helping reduce and recycle waste.
Each year, Metro collects more than 5 million pounds of household hazardous waste, with about 40 percent of it latex paint. The leftover latex paint is then recycled as MetroPaint, which is available in one-gallon cans and five-gallon pails for about $11 or less per gallon.
Miller Paint has sold MetroPaint at its stores since 2009, but the new contract expands the partnership. Miller Paint will purchase more gallons than in the past, and the company will increase the number of retail stores selling MetroPaint.
The partnership between Miller Paint and Metro is a great example of the types of partnerships needed between government and private businesses to lay the foundation for a vibrant economy and a healthy environment. By working with Miller Paint, Metro is helping to ensure recycled paint gets into the hands of people who can use it. The partnership supports Miller's bottom line as well as its 250 employee owners while helping to keep latex paint out of the region's waste stream.