SIMI VALLEY : City Offering Free Paint to Service Groups

Simi Valley nonprofit groups that can find a use for beige-colored latex paint are being invited to help relieve the city of its 2,100-gallon supply, collected during a recent city-sponsored hazardous waste roundup.

The city Public Works Department will only need about 600 gallons of the recycled paint for graffiti abatement over the next six months, so city officials decided to give the rest to local service groups.

“If you’re looking for a cheap way to paint something, as long as you don’t mind the color, free is about as cheap as you can get,” Mayor Greg Stratton said.

The paint was collected from residents June 26 and 27 during the city’s third “Household Hazardous Waste Roundup,” and Stratton praised residents for bothering to make their old paint available for future use.

“It’s very easy for people to just throw their paint in the trash,” Stratton said. “We’re very proud of the citizens who took the time to take their paint down to the recycling center.”

Nonprofit groups that deliver goods or services to city residents at no direct cost to the recipients are eligible to receive some of the paint. Simi Valley residents participating in the city’s home rehabilitation program also are eligible.

Councilman Bill Davis said the paint program illustrates the benefits of recycling.

“I think primarily it shows that products can be reused a second time that normally would have gone into the landfill,” Davis said. “This is a very, very good example that recycling works.”

Interested organizations or individuals are encouraged to pick up an application form at the city’s Department of Environmental Services, 3855-A Alamo St., or call (805) 583-6753 and request an application by mail.

A supply of paint will also be made available to the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District and the Simi Valley Unified School District, officials said.