The service had been put on hold from the end of November, with the normal collector - a not-for-profit organisation called Paintback - reporting a backlog due to COVID-19.

A Paintback spokesperson confirmed the service had resumed after more capacity was found through a different contractor for waste treatment - with the CEO calling the halt "regrettable".

The organisation had asked all of its collection points in Victoria, which include the council's Gillies Street transfer station, to stop accepting any more paint and paint packaging temporarily.

In a Facebook post at the time, it said: "We are experiencing an influx of material as the COVID-19 restrictions ease, combined with short-term processing constraints, which means drop-off points cannot be cleared under their usual schedule."

Victoria was the only state affected. The operation of many transfer stations in the region was restricted during the lockdown, with limited opportunity to drop off materials particularly in Metropolitan Melbourne.

Paintback chief executive Karen Gomez said:

"This temporary closure was regrettable and we apologise for the inconvenience to the many people who wanted to use Paintback to responsibly dispose of their unwanted paint."

"We thank the 40 plus Victorian councils who support the scheme by offering the service through their transfer stations, and for cooperating with us to move the backlog of used paint.

A City of Ballarat spokesperson also confirmed the service was back up and running after Paintback had asked them to stop accepting drop-offs due to the post-COVID rush.

"Combined with processing constraints in the contractor's supply chain, this meant Paintback bins could not be cleared under their usual schedule."

They confirmed the backlog had now been cleared.

Paintback was set up by the paint industry in 2016 to help divert unwanted paint and containers from landfill, with Ballarat-based company Haymes Paint one of the founding members.

A levy of 15 cents per litre was established to allow the industry to improve the stewardship of used paint products.

The industry is lobbying to have the levy extended beyond June 1 this year when it is due to end.

Prior to its directive to collection points in December 2020, Paintback had not had to shut down its paint collection service.

According to its annual report, it has 42 locations around Victoria which accept paint and containers and 8,100 tonnes of used paint and packaging was collected nationally in 2019/20.

People can dispose of up to 100 litres of unwanted paint at a time using the service - although paint containers are limited to maximum of 20 litres.

A spokesperson for the Paintback organisation said the Ballarat service had begun at the Gillies St Transfer Station in November 2017.

Since opening, residents have dropped off a total of 177,769 kilograms at the site - or close to 180 tonnes.

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