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Campaigns Over, Political Signs Still Litter Lawns

By Mike DeNardo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Campaign ads are no longer monopolizing the airwaves. But there's plenty of election advertising lingering on lawns and roadsides.

What to do with all of those campaign signs now that the election's over? Generally, it falls to the campaigns that put them there to pick them up.

Freeholder Ian Leonard says Camden County crews are not out there taking signs down, "We give them a week or so, and if they don't take them down we contact them."

Leonard says county crews don't collect them, even if the signs are on public land. "What we typically do is, we don't do that on taxpayer time. It's not appropriate to do that, since it's political in nature."

Montgomery County last year started a program to recycle campaign signs. County recycling manager Chris Kaasmann says they collected 8 tons - yes, 8 tons - of signs last year.

"Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, they're out there. So if we can do our part along with the recyclers and the candidates and the committees, we're looking to do that."

And Kaasmann says it seems to be making a difference.

"I've had many folks tell me that they thought they saw the signs leave the streets sooner because people had a place to put them. Whereas in the past it was like, 'Oh, they're out there, we'll get to them when we get to them.'"

Kaasmann says homeowners and candidates should not put signs in curbside recycling bins. He says signs can be dropped off at designated town halls or at the Montgomery County Republican and Democratic Committee headquarters. Click here to find a designated drop-off point.

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