What Happens to Billboards After Elections are Over?

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the campaign billboards and posters after an election? I have, many times. Well, now we have an answer. The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) and Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have developed a way to remove and then recycle waste generated from about 1.5 million political posters. This partnership was born out of the need to rid Lagos of the millions of posters dotting different spaces in the state, as well as to develop an eco-friendly means of disposing such wastes. The recycling process is coming on the heels of the clean-up exercise initiated by LASAA, which culminated in the removal of campaign posters used for the recently concluded general elections. LASAA’s Managing Director, Mr. George Noah said the agency strives to rid the state of an estimated 1.5 million posters used during political campaigning. He also said, “recycling paper waste conserves natural resources. It also saves energy, cuts greenhouse gas emissions and keeps landfill space free for other forms of waste that can’t be recycled.” THISDAY gathered that at LAWMA, the bulk of papers collected from the landfills or recycling banks are sorted and graded at the Paper Bailing Section at the Olushosun dumpsite in Ojota, Lagos. Afterwards, the waste is processed at Jebba Paper Mill, where the paper is added to water and then turned into pulp. The pulp is then screened, cleaned and de-inked through a number of processes until its suitable for manufacturing new paper products. Below are some of the numerous posters that were used for the campaign and would be recycled: