The environmental campaign to reduce the volume of solid waste through a per-gallon fee charged to consumers to cover the paint-disposal costs cleared a key hurdle before a state Senate committee Thursday.

The 3-2 vote of the Senate Ways and Means Committee marks an important milestone for the bipartisan bill ( HB 451 ) to create an industry-run Paint Stewardship Program that would collect unused paint and empty paint and stain cans and recycle them, rather than have them end up in landfills.

Chairman Tim Lang, R-Sanbornton, cast the deciding vote in support of the measure along with two Senate Democrats. Lang said it would significantly lower the costs for cities and towns that hold annual household hazardous waste days when consumers bring in their unused paint, stains and other item

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