Columbus Urges Residents to Recycle Campaign Signs

City officials encourage residents to drop off old yard signs at free recycling locations after the election.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Columbus Urges Residents to Recycle Campaign Signs

Live Poll

Would you take your old campaign yard signs to a recycling drop-off?

Columbus officials are asking residents to recycle campaign yard signs after Election Day, which can persist in landfills for hundreds or thousands of years. Signs can be dropped off for free at either of the city's two Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers.

Why it matters

Recycling keeps valuable materials in use rather than sending them to landfills. City officials hope residents make recycling campaign signs a habit after every election.

Residents can drop off campaign signs at 2100 Alum Creek Drive or 1550 Georgesville Road, Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The city has not reported how many signs have been collected so far.

The players

City of Columbus

The Ohio state capital's municipal government operates the Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers and is running the campaign sign recycling effort.

The details

Staff direct residents to the appropriate container based on the sign's material: metal stands go to the scrap metal bin, paper signs go to traditional recycling, and plastic bag or corrugated plastic signs go to a special container shipped to a specialized plastic recycler. Paper signs can also be placed in home blue recycling bins.

Campaign signs are recycled after every election, according to city officials' hopes for a regular habit.
Columbus drop-off locations accept signs Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Seasonal Patterns

Campaign yard signs arrive in large numbers each election season and are then discarded, making the post-election period a recurring waste-management moment. Columbus's Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers now provide a regular outlet for those materials that would otherwise head to landfills.

Residents with old campaign signs can bring them free of charge to 2100 Alum Creek Drive or 1550 Georgesville Road, Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Metal stands, paper signs, and plastic signs each go to different containers, so staff will direct drop-offs accordingly.

The takeaway

Dropping off campaign signs after each election keeps metal, paper, and plastic out of landfills, where some materials can last for centuries. A few minutes at a convenience center is an easy habit that adds up across a city.