A RECORD-BREAKING community scheme that gives householders the chance to clear their sheds, garages and cupboards of unwanted paint is making a return to Mansfield.

From March 21st to April 18th, the Kick Out The Can initiative will allow people to take surplus paint to the Crown Decorating Centre on Hermitage Lane for recycling.

Sheds, cupboards and garages across the country are thought to hold around 54 million litres of unused paint – which homeowners are being encouraged to recycle during the Kick Out The Can campaign.

Now in its fourth year, the campaign has collected more than 30,000 thousand tins of unwanted paint since its launch in 2013. Last year was its most successful yet with more than 9,000 containers handed in to Crown Decorating Centres across the UK.

The paint collected in-store is re-processed by social enterprise company Nimtech and then donated to community projects. The scheme has seen more than 2,000 litres of paint given to scores of deserving schemes right across the UK.

Leftover plastic and metal paint containers are also recycled as part of the scheme.

Mark Lloyd, Sustainability Manager for Crown Decorating Centres, said: “Last year’s Kick Out The Can was the very best year so far and we are keen to keep building on this success.

“Householders showed us that they valued the opportunity to clear out surplus paint while also making a positive contribution to communities across the country – with 9,000 tins being brought back across the Crown Decorating Centres network of 135 stores.

“In addition, as a thank you to supporters of the scheme, anyone who brings in their unwanted paint will receive a 20 per cent discount voucher, which they can use in-store until the end of the year.”

Householders can return up to 10 containers of any decorative paint to their nearest Crown Decorating Centre on any single visit between March 21st and April 18th.

Paint must be in the original container with the lid securely attached and no foreign objects or substances in the cans. Aerosols and rusty cans cannot be accepted.

For details of opening times at stores visit: www.crowndecoratorcentre.co.uk