Blue state goes green, recycles campaign signs

The impacts of this historic election - a new balance of power, the first black president, a change in America's status abroad - could last for generations.

The trash from the election doesn't have to.

Waste haulers and local political parties are urging people to recycle the tens of thousands of political yard signs that have gone up in recent months - and not just because the election of a Democrat could herald a new era of environmental sensitivity.
And yes, McCain/Palin yard signs are recyclable, too.

Waste Management of Colorado, one of the area's largest trash haulers and operator of Colorado Springs' only recycling facility, says customers who recycle can put the signs in their regular bins, after separating the sign from the metal or plastic stand. Paper, cardboard and plastic signs are recyclable. While only certain kinds of signs were recycled in previous election years, recent changes to the company's recycling center, where all local waste haulers take items, allow them to accept all kinds of signs now.

Voter guides and political mailings - and there was no shortage of those in the battleground state of Colorado - are also recyclable. Cloth banners are not.

"This is an example of demonstrating there are items in your home you may not think of that are actually recyclable," said Waste Management spokeswoman Melissa Kolwaite.

Other waste haulers pick up the signs, though customers should check with the companies for limitations.

Anyone, regardless of if they are a customer, can drop signs off at Waste Management's Recycle America, 602 E. 4th St.. The company has another drop-off site at 80 E. Chambers St.

Just how many political signs are out there is unclear. There are 20,000 McCain/Palin signs alone in El Paso County, said Nathan Fisk, executive director of the El Paso County Republicans. There are 10,000 more for U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, and thousands more for other candidates and ballot measures.

The party is asking people with unwanted signs to drop them off at the GOP headquarters, 710 S. Tejon St.. They will reuse the wire stands and send the signs for recycling, so, conceivably, a Democrat could drop off a sign too, if they wanted to help the opposition.

Should people hang onto the signs for a possible reprise of a McCain/Palin ticket?

"I'm not making any predictions," Fisk said, with a laugh.

John Morris, El Paso County Democratic Party chairman, said the county party has never taken back signs, though some local candidates reuse theirs.

"That's actually a darned good idea. We ought to try that," said Morris, when told of the GOP's reuse plan.

Of course, those Obama/Biden signs have a lot better chance of being relevant again than the McCain/Palin signs, so people could keep them in their garage until 2012, he said.

-

CONTACT THE WRITER: 476-1605 or srappold@gazette.com