Process

Laurentide re/sources inc. proceeds to the conditioning of paint residues that were transported to the Victoriaville recycling plant. Taking into consideration re-marketing requirements, paint, stain and varnish leftovers are first sorted by categories and grouped while conforming to certain criteria.

Materials that cannot be processed, such as adhesives, strippers and cement are removed from the sorting line and shipped to companies that specialize in eliminating them.

The recoverable paint is separated by colours and homogenized in large vats equipped with mixers. Additives are added to neutralize bacteria and control viscosity. Finally, the paint is filtered to obtain a quality product. Samples are taken and analyzed as a last quality control prior to marketing the product.

The processing plant in Victoriaville resells nearly 60% of the collected waste as recycled paint or raw materials ready to be mixed with new processed materials. Metal and plastics originating from paint containers are compressed, bundled and sold as recyclable materials.

Sold under the Boomerang brand name, the paint is available in containers of various sizes—from the 3.78-litre to the 1,000–litre size containers. The quality of this paint is equivalent to the paint of average quality sold in Quebec. This highly efficient product is offered at a very favourable price.

As a result, this initiative contributed to creating approximately 100 jobs and, during the last three years, diverting from waste disposal sites close to 10,600 tons of paint and 4,400 tons of containers, which were re-marketed.