PPG’s Sigma EcoCollect: Closing the Loop on Paint Packaging Waste
Professional painters in the Netherlands will soon have access to one of the country’s most ambitious circularity initiatives in the coatings industry. PPG’s SIGMA COATINGS™ brand has launched Sigma EcoCollect, a nationwide programme that allows painters to return empty plastic and metal packaging—from both Sigma Coatings and competitors—to more than 90 participating points of sale. The returned materials are collected, processed, and turned into new paint packaging, creating a closed-loop recycling system designed to reduce waste industry-wide.
For PPG, the programme is more than a sustainability gesture. It sits at the heart of a broader strategic effort to support circularity, build stronger relationships with painters, and align PPG’s packaging with growing customer and regulatory expectations.
“In 2024, we introduced the Tomorrow Included® marketing concept to highlight the sustainability advantages of PPG’s architectural products,” explains Petra Bijma, PPG brand manager, B2B Sigma Coatings Benelux, Architectural Coatings. The platform—known in the Netherlands as Morgen begint vandaag—focuses on seven sustainability domains, including circularity. “The Sigma EcoCollect initiative helps us support that goal,” she says.
And critically, the market is ready for it. “Professional painters are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability, and they expect us to take action.”
From Pilot to National Rollout
The idea was first tested in Leiden in September 2024. What began as a simple return programme quickly grew into something more influential: it sparked new conversations.
Painters asked about circularity, questioned their own disposal habits, and brought back increasing amounts of packaging over the pilot period. That momentum was enough for PPG to greenlight a full rollout.
“The pilot was successful,” Bijma says. “So, we decided to roll out the initiative in the Netherlands and Belgium.”
Sigma EcoCollect will now be available through:
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32 PPG Sigma Service Centers
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61 Sigma Coatings wholesalers
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More than 90 total points of sale
The expansion marks one of the most comprehensive take-back infrastructures in the Dutch coatings sector.
Simplicity by Design
If Sigma EcoCollect is to change industry habits, it must be easy. PPG leaned heavily into that principle.
“Professional painters only need to bring their empty packaging to our stores, where they can hand it over to employees or place it in the designated area,” Bijma explains. “There is no cost to utilize this service.”
The programme accepts:
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Plastic PCR (post-consumer recycled) buckets
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Metal paint cans
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Packaging from Sigma Coatings and all competitor brands
There is only one requirement: containers must be scraped empty, with no more than 5% dried paint residue. That ensures the recycling stream remains viable and free of contamination.
Ease of use isn’t just good design—it’s essential for scale. Painters typically juggle tight deadlines, variable job sites, and ever-changing waste-disposal rules. A simple drop-off during regular store visits lowers the barrier substantially.
The Power of Partnership
One of the reasons Sigma EcoCollect could move to implementation so quickly is that PPG chose the right partners for logistics and material processing.
“In the Netherlands, PPG already purchases recycled plastic buckets from Dijkstra Plastics,” Bijma says. “When the company approached us with the possibility of collecting and recycling empty packaging through their collaboration with FIRE-OFF, it felt like the right opportunity to work together.”
The operational roles are well-defined:
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FIRE-OFF collects the empty packaging from participating stores.
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Dijkstra Plastics processes the returned materials and produces new recycled buckets for Sigma Coatings.
Together, they close the loop. By returning recycled content to the original supply chain, PPG both reduces waste and increases the amount of PCR material in its packaging.
This model is one of the clearest examples of industry collaboration enabling genuine circularity rather than one-off recycling.
Accepting Competitor Packaging: A Strategic Statement
Many take-back programmes are brand-exclusive. Sigma EcoCollect is not.
“First, it is a service for our painters: we want to make it as easy as possible for them to return their empty packaging,” Bijma says. “Second, we aim to collect as much empty packaging as possible to drive circularity overall in the painting industry, regardless of brand.”
This choice reflects a shift happening across manufacturing: sustainability challenges are often too large to tackle brand-by-brand. By accepting packaging from competitors, PPG positions itself as a sector-wide circularity leader and builds trust with painters who want simplicity—not multiple, fragmented recycling programmes.
Measuring Impact, Not Just Intent
PPG is not approaching Sigma EcoCollect as a feel-good initiative. It is structured to deliver measurable environmental impact.
“Yes, we expect recycling rates to increase through the Sigma EcoCollect initiative,” Bijma says. “By making it easy for our customers to return their packaging, we help ensure that more of it can be recycled.”
Data is a core component of the programme. “We receive reports on how much packaging is collected and recycled,” she explains. “We also receive information on the reduction in CO₂ impact resulting from recycling the packaging.”
Crucially, this data is made visible at the store level. Painters will be able to see the tangible difference their returns make—something increasingly important as clients, especially in commercial and public projects, ask contractors to provide evidence of sustainable practices.
As for targets, PPG is taking a cautious approach. “The first year will serve as a benchmark,” Bijma says. “Then we will set goals in the following year.” That allows for realistic goal-setting based on real participation patterns.
A Building Block in PPG’s European Sustainability Strategy
Sigma EcoCollect fits squarely within PPG’s broader European ambitions for circularity.
“With this initiative, we are supporting PPG’s goal of moving toward a circular economy by using resources more efficiently, minimizing operational waste, and promoting reuse and recycling throughout our value chain,” Bijma notes.
The project also serves as a learning platform within PPG’s European network. “We share our sustainability experiences at the European level and aim to both share and learn from other countries in the region,” she says.
As Europe tightens packaging waste regulations and strengthens requirements for post-consumer recycling, PPG’s early launch of a take-back system positions the company well for the future.
Looking Ahead: Expansion and Evolution
Bijma emphasizes that Sigma EcoCollect is not static. “We are always looking for initiatives to help us achieve our sustainability goals and support our customers’ sustainability journeys,” she says.
Future expansion—whether to new markets, new packaging types, or additional product lines—remains a possibility. For now, the launch across the Netherlands and Belgium will provide the insights needed to refine and scale the programme.
A Circular Step Forward for the Painting Industry
With Sigma EcoCollect, PPG is tackling one of the most persistent environmental challenges in the painting sector: the vast amount of paint packaging that still ends up in general waste.
By partnering across the value chain, simplifying the return process, and embracing transparency, PPG has created a programme that goes beyond corporate sustainability statements. It changes how painters interact with the materials they use every day—and shows how circularity can become a normal, accessible part of the profession.
In an industry where environmental responsibility must become a shared effort, Sigma EcoCollect stands out as a practical, scalable model for moving the needle—one returned bucket at a time.