Campaign signs that have littered front yards and intersections for the past few months will soon disappear, or so they should. After Election Day, most of those signs can be recycled.
The cities of Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler and Mesa have designated drop-off sites for people who want to recycle their campaign signs. In Phoenix and Tempe, smaller signs can be tossed in those blue recycle bins. But for bigger signs, or if campaign volunteers are removing multiple signs, those drop-off locations are a convenient alternative to the trash. For the most part, each city has similar recycling requirements, especially when it comes to the sign’s base.
"We really want to remind residents to separate those bases from the actual signs and recycle the parts that are recyclable and throw out those wooden stakes, so they don’t contaminate the recycle stream," said Melissa Quillard with the City of Tempe.
The three other cities are asking their residents to do the same. But the City of Phoenix says that if the wooden stakes are untreated or unpainted, they can go in those new green-organics bins. Campaign signs on public rights of way must be removed 15 days after the election. In Phoenix, city workers will remove and recycle signs if they are not disposed of within that time frame.