The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and PaintCare, a Washington, D.C.-based organization, on Friday announced approval of a plan for a program for the responsible recycling of unused and leftover paint in the state.

Legislation for the plan was signed into law by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in 2011. The program is set to begin July 1.

Created by the American Coatings Association, PaintCare is a nonprofit organization that works with state and local governments to develop paint disposal legislation; secure permanent, year-round drop-off sites; conduct public outreach and education; and operate on-going programs in each state that passes legislation for the recycling of post-consumer paint.

The 2011 law mandates that paint manufacturers create and fund an easy-to-use, cost-effective and environmentally responsible program to manage unused or leftover paint in Connecticut. The program is funded by a minimal “recovery fee” added to the purchase price of paint at retailers throughout the state. The recovery fee will range from $0.35 to $1.60, depending on paint container size.

For the convenience of Connecticut residents, most new PaintCare drop-off sites will be at paint retailers, which are permanent and open year-round.

“We are so excited to be establishing our program here in Connecticut,” PaintCare Executive Director Marjaneh Zarrehparvar said in a news release. “The positive support and feedback we’ve received from the State Legislature, the DEEP, the municipal household waste programs, the paint retail and the local chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America has been overwhelming. We are grateful to everyone involved in making sure that leftover paint is being disposed of in environmentally beneficial way on an on-going basis, and we look forward to working together with retailers and municipalities across Connecticut” she added.

To view the approved program plan, visit: http://paintcare.org/docs/ct_program_plan.pdf. For information on PaintCare and paint recycling in Connecticut, visit: www.paintcare.org.