How to Recycle Campaign Yard Signs
The elections are (mostly) over, and it’s time to remove these signs at the polling station. While you definitely shouldn’t throw a stack of signs straight into the trash can, you also can’t just throw them in the trash can and assume you’ve done it. Here’s how to minimize the chance of your lawn signs ending up in a landfill.
Dispose of them
You can probably recycle your yard signs, but you may not be able to do so with regular sidewalk maintenance. Signs are typically made from one of several types of paper or plastic that not all recycling companies are set up to accept:
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Plastic # 5: most signs are made of corrugated plastic (” Coroplast “)
- Plastic # 2 or # 4: The thinnest and most flexible plastic labels
Before throwing signs in the trash can, check with your local waste disposal company to find out what can be left for roadside pickup and what needs special handling. You will need to break the signs and you may need to leave the plastic sign and a separate metal stand at your local facility.
Some cities even have special sign recycling initiatives , so do a quick Google search to see what’s happening in your area. Note that you may have to find a scrap dealer to recycle metal racks.
Reuse them
As you can see in a quick scroll on Pinterest , yard signage can be used for future events, crafts, pet cages, and more. Here are some specific ways to reuse your signs:
- Cover them with chalkboard paint and use them in the virtual school.
- Color them for upcoming holidays (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).
- Use them as a makeshift sled this winter.
- Use metal stands as garden stakes.
- Place them where you want to create beds to smother weeds.
Donate to them
There are dozens of local organizations, such as a Sarasota beekeeper or an Omaha grower , who will happily put the posters out of your hands, although finding them may take a little research.
Again, a Google search for “donate [city] campaign signs” or “recycle [city] lawn signs” would be a good place to start, but if nothing shows up, contact developers, youth community centers, and schools to find out. whether they can reuse your signs.
Save them
If your plaques are for candidates who may run for office again, save them for future use (especially if they don’t have a year specified). Or save them for posterity so you can remember this wild cycle of choices someday.