How Simple Sign Diverts 100% of Corrugated Sign Materials from Landfill
Our responsible recycling program means your project completion doesn't come with a disposal headache — or a disposal bill.
Every real estate sign has a lifespan. A development notice sign goes up when the planning application is submitted and comes down when the project is approved or the application is withdrawn. A sales centre sign is installed for the duration of the sales program and removed when the last unit is sold. A construction hoarding panel is in place for the duration of the build.
When those signs come down, the question of what happens to the materials is one that most sign companies — and most clients — do not think about very carefully. The default answer, in most cases, is the landfill. Corrugated plastic (Coroplast), aluminum composite panels, and the foam substrates used in many sign applications are not accepted by most municipal recycling programs, and they are bulky enough that disposal is a real logistical challenge.
At Simple Sign GTA, we made a different choice. We built a recycling program that diverts 100% of the corrugated sign materials we remove from landfill — at no additional cost to our clients. Here is how it works, and why it matters.
The Problem with Sign Waste
The commercial signage industry generates a significant volume of waste. A single mid-size development project might use dozens of corrugated plastic panels over its lifecycle — development notices, directional signs, sales centre signage, construction hoarding inserts. When those panels are removed, they typically end up in a dumpster.
Corrugated plastic (the fluted polypropylene material used in most temporary signs) is technically recyclable, but it is not accepted by most curbside recycling programs because of contamination concerns and the difficulty of processing it in standard facilities. Without a dedicated recycling stream, it goes to landfill by default.
Aluminum composite panels — used in more permanent signage applications — are more readily recyclable, but they require separation of the aluminum skin from the polyethylene core, which most recyclers are not set up to do. Again, the default is landfill
How Our Program Works
When our crew removes a sign, the materials do not go into a general waste bin. They are sorted on-site and transported to our facility, where they are processed for recycling through our network of specialty recyclers.
Corrugated plastic panels are baled and sent to a plastics recycler that processes polypropylene into pellets for use in new products. Aluminum composite panels are separated and the aluminum content is recovered. Wooden posts and framing are chipped for composting or biomass use. Vinyl graphics are collected and sent to a vinyl recycling program.
The result is that essentially nothing from a removed sign installation ends up in a landfill. The materials are recovered and re-enter the production cycle in some form.
Why We Built This Program
The honest answer is that it was the right thing to do. The real estate development industry in the GTA is increasingly focused on sustainability — green building certifications, reduced embodied carbon, responsible material sourcing. It seemed inconsistent to us that the signage supporting those projects would generate unnecessary landfill waste.
There was also a practical dimension. Many of our clients — particularly larger developers and institutional property managers — have their own sustainability commitments and reporting requirements. Being able to tell their stakeholders that their signage program generates zero landfill waste is a genuine benefit, not just a talking point.
What This Means for Your Project
From a client perspective, our recycling program is entirely seamless. You do not need to arrange separate disposal for removed sign materials. You do not receive a disposal surcharge on your invoice. When our crew removes your signs, the materials are handled responsibly as a standard part of the service.
If you need documentation for sustainability reporting purposes — a certificate of recycling, a summary of materials diverted — we can provide that as well. Just let us know when you place your order and we will make sure the paperwork is in order.
Looking Ahead
We are continuing to expand our recycling program as new options become available. We are currently exploring partnerships with recyclers who can process vinyl graphics more efficiently, and we are looking at ways to incorporate recycled content into our own sign production.
Sustainability in the signage industry is not a solved problem — there are still material categories where better recycling options do not yet exist at scale. But we are committed to finding solutions and to being transparent with our clients about what we are doing and where we are still working to improve.
If you have questions about our recycling program or want to discuss how it can support your project's sustainability goals, get in touch with our team. We are happy to walk you through the details.
