Building a Sustainable Future: Collaborative Recycling Efforts for Election Posters

At Material Solutions, we are proud to be at the forefront of a sustainable initiative that aims to repurpose election posters into valuable materials for the construction and signage industries. Every election, thousands of posters are printed and displayed on streets across Ireland, with many of them traditionally ending up in landfills after the elections. We saw this as an opportunity to change how we handle these materials and to embrace sustainability as a shared responsibility. Our journey towards recycling election posters began with a clear mission: to find practical, environmentally conscious solutions for the materials used in election campaigns. As Ireland's largest distributor of corriboards, we recognised the potential to repurpose these posters and prevent tonnes of plastic waste from entering landfills. But we knew that achieving this goal would require collaboration across all sectors—political, corporate, and local.

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Overcoming Challenges Together 

Our initial effort during the last election was a learning experience, one that demonstrated both the potential and the challenges of such an ambitious initiative. While we were thrilled to receive support from multiple political parties, including the leadership of Cllr Aengus O’Rourke and Aoíbhann De Búrca Quinlivan (Fianna Fáil), we also encountered some logistical hurdles, health and safety concerns, and processing limitations that prevented the full-scale success we had envisioned. 

The concerns raised by councillors and stakeholders about collecting, transporting, and processing election posters for recycling on a national scale are valid. It’s a challenging task, involving logistical issues such as health and safety at collection points, the costs of transporting the posters to recycling facilities, and internal hurdles with our own logistics. Our processing partners also faced technical issues. 

However, these challenges are not insurmountable. In fact, they have only reinforced our belief that, with the right partnerships and cross-party collaboration, we can build a more streamlined and efficient process moving forward. This is a moment for us to work together, refine our approach, and create a system that benefits both the environment and the communities we serve. 

We were encouraged by the strong cross-party engagement we received during the last election cycle, and we believe that with even more cooperation, we can achieve greater results. The upcoming General Election presents an even better opportunity for collaboration, as it is more centrally managed and offers the potential for a coordinated, nationwide effort. This time, we are aiming to involve all parties to ensure the broadest possible support for this initiative. 

Our commitment to sustainability remains strong, and we are confident that, by addressing the logistical and safety concerns raised, we can build a system that works for everyone. This is a process of continuous improvement—each election cycle presents a new opportunity to refine and expand our recycling efforts. 

A Call to Action: Join Us in Building a Greener Ireland 

We know that collaboration is key to the success of this initiative. By working together—across political parties, local councils, and industry stakeholders—we can turn election posters from single-use plastics into valuable resources that contribute to Ireland’s circular economy. 

We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far, having recycled over 10,000 posters and diverted tonnes of plastic from landfills. But we know that this is just the beginning. With the upcoming national election in sight, we invite political parties, local authorities, and community leaders to join us in making a real difference. Together, we can build a model that reduces waste, lowers carbon emissions, and sets a new standard for environmental responsibility in Ireland. 

The challenges we face are real, but with collective action and shared commitment, they are challenges we can overcome. Let’s continue to build bridges, foster collaboration, and create a sustainable future for generations to come. 

For those interested in learning more about this initiative and our plans for future elections, we encourage you to listen to our Managing Director, Ian Scouler, discuss the topic in more detail during his interview on the Newstalk Breakfast Show below. 

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