Dunedin City Council solid waste manager Ian Featherston said the council had banned the dumping of paint at its transfer stations in 2003 to stop liquid toxic leachate getting in the collection system at the Green Island Landfill.
''We are trying to minimise the amount of liquid waste that comes into the landfill and paint can be contained and processed elsewhere.''
But the council had not prosecuted anyone for dumping paint at any Dunedin transfer station since it had implemented the ban, he said.
The ban was only on liquid paint, and dry paint could be dumped at a transfer station. Dry paint was once liquid paint that had dried solid after the paint tin lid had been left off.
Signs at the transfer stations would be ''revamped'' and include more detail on what paint, in what form, could be dumped, after a solid waste bylaw review was completed.
Until then, dry paint could be dumped at transfer stations and Resene Paints collected unwanted decorative liquid paint in its Paintwise Recovery Programme, he said.
Resene ColorShop Dunedin retail assistant Hazel van Raalte said the shop accepted any paint and tin in reasonable condition.
''We'll take basically anything - as long as it's paint - and we take all the Resene paint back for nothing.''
For ''opposition products'', there was a paint recycling cost of $1 per tin up to 4 litre, or $2.50 for tins 10 litre or larger.
The recycled water-based ''sludge grey'' paint was made available to the council to paint over graffiti.
''And all they really do with the oil-based stuff is recover all the solvents out of it.''
People should not mix leftover water-based and oil-based paints in a tin to save on recycling costs, she said.
''If we don't know what's in it then we can't take it.''
Any paint in good condition brought in was set aside and made available to paint community buildings such as churches, kindergartens and play centres.
''If someone brings in a can of bright green or bright red in good order, we'll take it because often kindys will want to paint something in bright colours.''
Community groups could apply for the paint through Resene head office and, on approval, could look through the paint collection in store.
